SHELBY — For Ava Bowman, every moment spent on the track this spring is reason for celebration.
Shelby’s senior sprinter is doing what she loves again.
Bowman didn’t have much to celebrate last year. She lost almost her entire junior season to injury after winning a pair of state medals as a sophomore.
Her recent record-setting performance at the 92nd Mehock Relays could be the start of something special as the postseason rapidly approaches.
Bowman won three gold medals at the Mehock and broke Shelby’s school record in the 200-meter dash. Her time of 25.57 seconds eclipsed Tiffany Adkins’ time of 25.74 seconds from 2003.
“I’ve been eyeing it for a while, since my sophomore year,” Bowman said. “I’m really excited to be at the spot I am right now.”
In addition to her record-setting performance in the 200, Bowman struck Mehock gold in the 100 and as the anchor leg in the 4X100 relay. She broke the tape in the 100 in 12.23 seconds — .05 off her school-record 12.18 — and helped the relay team to a winning time of 49.76.
Bowman’s winning Mehock times in the 100 and 200 would have landed her on the state podium last spring.
As a sophomore in 2023, Bowman finished fifth at state in the 100 and was a member of Shelby’s sixth-place 4×100 team.
Madison Henkel was also a member of the All-Ohio 4×100 team in 2023. This year’s unit includes Bowman, Henkel, Princess Timko and Ashley Montgomery.
“I have high expectations and goals for myself,” Bowman said. “We really hold ourselves to a high standard.”
A junior, Henkel is among the favorites to win a Division II state title in the long jump. She placed third at state last spring and fifth as a freshman.
Henkel’s Mehock-winning leap of 18 feet, 7.25 inches would have won the state title last year. She jumped 18-9 at the Mehock last April, but couldn’t replicate that performance the rest of the season.
“Last year I really didn’t even get close to 18-9 once I hit that mark. My closest to that was 18-4,” Henkel said. “Hopefully I can keep working my way up.”
A junior sprint specialist, Timko has recently taken up the 300 hurdles. She won a Mehock gold in 47.70 seconds.
“It’s my first year. I’ve only ran it twice before,” Timko said at the time. “I wanted to give it a try and I think it will help us out in the (Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference meet), too.”
Shelby has won four straight MOAC championships. A fifth title could be in the offing.
“We worked really hard in the offseason and it’s showing up for all of us,” Bowman said. “We have new goals and new expectations this year.”
Regardless of how the rest of the season plays out, Bowman is just happy to be back.
“Being able to run this year is honestly just a blessing,” she said. “To be able to run every single day, we’re just so thankful and grateful.
“This year we’re coming different.”