Mark Morris' Elsie Herold wins state titles in 100, 300-meter hurdles

TACOMA - Elsie Herold is now a two-time state champion.

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The Mark Morris junior took home the 2A state titles in the 300 and 100-meter hurdles events during the 2A Girls Track & Field State Championships on Saturday and Friday, respectively, at Mount Tahoma High School.

Herold also helped the Mark Morris 4x400 relay squad place third and the 4x200 relay squad finish sixth.

Mark Morris track and field: Elsie Herold

Mark Morris' Elsie Herold, right, jumps over a hurdle during the finals of the 100-meter hurdles event at the 2A Track & Field State Championships on Friday, May 29, at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma. Herold took home the state championships in the 100 and 300-meter hurdles while also setting the 2A state meet record in the latter.

Last season, she took fifth place in both the 100 and 300m hurdles, marking a substantial improvement in both races.

"Being a junior, I feel like I've had enough experience to actually win a title, so that was my plan," Herold said. "All that training finally paid off."

On Saturday, she finished the 300m hurdles in 42.85 seconds, setting a new record for the 2A state meet. Last year in the 300m hurdles, she took first place in every meet, even in the state prelims, but she finished fifth in the finals. Herold was determined to take the title home this season.

"In the 300-meter hurdles, I was dead-set on getting a championship," she said. "That was something that I felt like I put my all into,"

She had another comeback-moment on Friday. After falling behind during the first few seconds in the 100m hurdles, she was able to turn the tides as she sprinted ahead and crossed the finish line first in 15.18 seconds.

"I was so surprised," she said. "I couldn't even speak. I had the confidence to get the win, but I didn't know I would actually do it."

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Next season, there will no more surprises for her as she said she aims to repeat as state champion in both events.

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