Recapping the 2024 WI State Indoor T&F Championships

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The 2024 Wisconsin State Indoor Track and Field Championships showcased the state's top high school athletes in an electrifying display of speed, strength, and determination. Athletes from across Wisconsin gathered in Whitewater to compete in a variety of events, from sprints to distance races, jumps to throws. The championships were marked by impressive performances, fierce competition, and unforgettable moments, highlighting the exceptional talent and dedication of Wisconsin's track and field athletes.

Here we look at the top performances from the Wisconsin Indoor State Championships

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Homestead Girls Take Home the State Title

The Homestead girls' team, led by Anisa Barnett, Charlotte Lueck, and Eva Brandenburg, clinched the girls' indoor state title with a score of 42 points, edging out Wisconsin Lutheran's 36 points. They have now won back-to-back state indoor titles. Barnett was instrumental in the victory, contributing 17 points by securing a win in the triple jump, a bronze in the long jump, and aiding the 4x200m team to an 8th place finish. Brandenburg's silver medal in the 60m hurdles added 8 points to the team's tally, and her role in the 4x400m victory further solidified their lead. Lueck's 3 points in the 400m, along with her contribution to the 4x400m win, were crucial in securing the title for the team.

In addition to Barnett, Lueck, and Brandenburg's standout performances, Alexandra Gaskin played a pivotal role in Homestead's success. Gaskin contributed 4 points with a strong performance in the 800m event. The depth of talent and teamwork displayed by the entire Homestead girls' team was evident throughout the championships, as they overcame tough competition to secure the title. 

Onalaska Clinches Boys Title Narrowly Over Iola-Scandinavia

The Onalaska boys narrowly clinched the boys state indoor title in a narrow effort scoring 29 points to Iola-Scandinavias 28 points. Their efforts were spearheaded by Blake Burnstad in a dominate effort that saw him demolish the competition in the 800m, scorign a first place finish there and 10 crucial points, he also competed as a part of the 4x400m relay team (Burnstad, Kasey Barth, Brendan Chenault and Drew Symons) that scored a 3rd place finish and 6 points. Barth, Chenault, Gabe Maus and Zach Fink ran in the 4x200m, scoring 2 points with a 7th place finish. Max Erdmann and Maus were the Onalaska stars in the triple jump, scoring a combined 11 points there. It was the 4x400m team finishing third in the final event that put the Onalaska boys over the top for the team victory, there they ran a time of 3:30.65 to beat the 4th place finisher by over a second to get that crucial 29th point. 

Iola-Scandinavia nearly won the team race and all of their points were scored by Jensen Rice and Charlie Vater in three events. Rice scorec 18 points individually, a total that would've placed him in 6th place by himself. He did that by winning the 60m hurdles race by 0.17 seconds in a dominate effort. He also nearly won the 60m title, losing by 0.006 seconds to Landon Gallun. Charlie Vater also contributed 10 points for the team, after winning the 1600m over a trio of Stevens Point boys. 

Sophomore Elletta Uddin Takes Home the 60m Hurdles Title

Elletta Uddin, a sophomore standout, continued her young but mightily impressive track and field career by capturing the girls' 60m hurdles title. This victory marked her third state title, following her remarkable achievements at the 2023 outdoor state championships where she claimed the titles in both the 100m hurdles and 300m hurdles. Uddin's consistent success at such a young age underscores her exceptional talent and dedication to the sport, setting a strong foundation for a promising future in track and field. In a thrilling race, Uddin edged out Eva Brandenburg, who ran a time of 8.94, with a blistering time of 8.91, showcasing her speed and skill on the track. Both performances mark the first two 60m girls hurdles time under 9 seconds in Wisconsin this season. 

With her time of 8.91, Uddin now ranks 19th in her sophomore class in the 60m hurdles this indoor season. It was also a big PR for her in the event, beating her time of 9.27 from the 2022-23 indoor season, a massive 0.36 second PR. 

Gallun Wins First State Title in 60m Dash

Winning his first state title at his first state meet, Whitefish Bay senior Landon Gallun completed a spectacular indoor season that saw him win seven indoor titles in the 55m, 60m, and 200m; competing in meets all around the country. He saved his best for last, winning his first Wisconsin state title in the 60m dash, beating Iola-Scandinavia's Jensen Rice by fractions of a second, 6.892 to 6.898. Gallun completed his perfect day in the 60m by winning the day with the top times in the prelims, semis and finals. 

Coudron Wins Her First State Title

Wisconsin Lutheran junior Annabelle Coudron achieved a significant milestone at the Wisconsin State Indoor Track and Field Championships by clinching her first state title in the 60m dash. Clocking in at an impressive time of 7.72, Coudron showcased her speed and determination, narrowly edging out her competitor Charley Brinks, who finished just behind with a time of 7.73. This was a new PR for Coudron, beating her time of 7.75 from the Morolake Akinosun's Elite Invitational back in January. She now ranks as the #2 60m runner in Wisconsin this season. 

Ben Smith Wins Second Indoor Shot Put Title

Hortonville's Ben Smith continued his undefeated streak this indoor season, capturing his second consecutive indoor state shot put title with a commanding performance. Smith unleashed a massive throw of 68 feet 0.25 inches, winning by over four feet and surpassing his own championship mark from the previous year. This remarkable achievement also stands as the second-best indoor throw of Smith's career, highlighting his exceptional skill and consistency in the event. Smith's victory not only cements his status as one of the top shot putters in state history but also marks his second straight indoor season without a loss, showcasing his dominance in the shot put event.

Anisa Barnett Continues Her Incredible Season

Anisa Barnett helped her Homestead girls team to the team title at the meet, but also won her own title in the triple jump and placed 3rd in the long jump. In the triple jump, Barnett had a mark of 38' 11", winning by about a foot over Lily Tazcala. This was just under a foot away from her season best mark of 39' 8" which ranks 27th nationally. Barnett also got so close to winning another title in the long jump, where she finished 3rd with a mark of 18' 3.75", which was just 7.25 inches short of the winning mark. Topping all that off, Barnett also ran in the 4x200m, helping anchor them to a 2nd place finish in their heat and an 8th place finish overall. 

Burnstad Dominates the Competition in the 800m

Dominating the field to the tune of a 3 second victory, Onalaska senior Blake Burnstad made quite the impression with a time of 1:54.62, over three seconds ahead of runner-up Spencer Alf with a time of 1:57.84. This was Burnstad's first state title in his first stab at a state 800m title since the 2022 outdoor season. This ranks as the #6 time overall in Wisconsin state history indoor's and the #3 time all-time for the state indoor championships. 

Michalski and Bablitch Shine in Distance Events

Autumn Michalski and Sophia Bablitch showcased their impressive endurance and competitive spirit at the Wisconsin State Indoor Track and Field Championships, both competing in the grueling 800m and 1600m races. In a thrilling showdown, Bablitch emerged victorious in the 800m with a time of 2:1618, claiming the state title with a strong finish over Michalski who ran a time of 2:17.54. However, Michalski quickly turned the tables in the 1600m event with a time of 5:00.68, seizing the title and outpacing Bablitch who ran a time of 5:02.18 in a display of determination and stamina. Their performances not only demonstrated their individual talents but also highlighted the friendly rivalry and mutual respect between the two star seniors. 

Vater Beats out the Stevens Point Boys in the 1600m

Charlie Vater, the star senior for Iola-Scandinavia narrowly beat out not only Stevens Points Bode Erickson to the line by a hundredth of a second to take the win, but also his teammates Cooper Erickson who finished 3rd and Ethan Olds who finished 4th. Vater crossed the line with a time of 4:20.92, Bode Erickson with a time of 4:20.93, Cooper Eirckosn with a time of 4:22.39 and Olds with a time of 4:23.02. This was a redemption for Vater after finishing as the indoor 1600m runner-up last year behind Zachariah Vance, by less than half a second. Vater has now also won the last two state 1600m titles he has competed for (Indoor 2024 and Outdoor 2023) and now has won four total state individual titles in Wisconsin.