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Every week our current and former MSHSL athletes do noteworthy things that aren't always highlighted or known about. This new weekly article will highlight those athletes that have done notable things on the track, outside of school, on the roads, and anywhere in between. We have so many amazing current and former athletes, and we'd love to highlight every single one if we could.
If you have any noteworthy accomplishments that you think warrant inclusion in this article, please reach out to State Editor, Ryan Kotajarvi, at ryankotajarvi@gmail.com
Julia Gherardi
Hibbing High School
Class of 2022
Julia broke her own pole vault school record of 10-3 that she set back in May of 2019, by PR'ing by a miraculous 1 foot to set a new personal best and school record of 11-3 at JP's Chocolate Rabbit Invitational. Ethan Fischer
Maple River High School
Class of 2022
Ethan broke Maple Rivers discus school record with a throw of 174'8". This is a new personal best for Fischer, besting the 158'10" throw from the 2019 State Track and Field Meet.
Charlie Lawrence
Foley High School
Class of 2013
University of Minnesota
Charlie Lawrence the former 2x State Champion in the 3200m went the distance with Des Linden when she set the new World record in the 50k as her pacer. Linden bested the previous world record of 3:07:20 set by Aly Dixon, by running a blistering 2:59:54. A previous holder of the record was Janis Klecker, mother of the Hopkins clan of runners.
Check out some of Charlie's accomplishments below
2013 State Track | 2012 State Track | 2012 State XC
Analee Weaver
Stillwater High School
Class of 2021
&
Grace Ping
Desert Vista / Cotter
Class of 2021
This summer Weaver and Ping will be counselors at the Project Gold Running Camp in Flagstaff, AZ. Each counselor gets the chance to coach the participants but they get a chance to learn from Tom Schwartz, head coach of the Tinman Elite.
Kara Goucher
Duluth East High School
Class of 1996
University of Colorado
Former state champion and Olympian Kara Goucher will make her NBC sports broadcasting debut on April 24th and will do distance coverage of the Drake Relays and Oregon Relays.
View Kara's Career Results Below
1996 State Track | 1994 State Track | 1993 Foot Locker XC | 2000 NCAA Track Nationals | 2000 NCAA XC Nationals | 2008 Beijing Olympics | 2012 London Olympics
Katherine Eidem
Rochester Century High School
Class of 2017
Arizona State University
Eidem made it to the MSHSL State Track and Field meet in three different events in high school. Now she has translated that talent into completing her first collegiate Heptathlon. Eidem finished in 8th place at the 2021 Jim Click Shootout.