HOPE — Addyson Russell already has etched her name in the Hauser history record books, and she’s only a freshman.
Russell owns the 100- and 200-meter records and is closing in on the long jump record, as well. She hopes add some more medals in a few days when she competes in the Mid-Hoosier Conference meet Tuesday and the Columbus North Sectional May 20.
“I went into the season hoping I would possibly break the record because I’ve been tying it for a couple years in middle school, so I felt pretty confident about that,” Russell said.
By the way she’s breaking school records, one would think she’s been running track most of her life, but Russell has only ran track since the sixth grade.
Russell intially broke the 200 record in the Madison Invitational April 19 with a time of 27.09 seconds in the prelims, and then broke it again during the finals with 27.01. In Tuesday’s quad meet at Brownstown Central, she broke her own 200 record and tied the 100 record with a hand-timed 26.6 and 12.9, respectively.
Tascha Taylor previously set the 200 record of 27.3 in 1989 and also held the 100 record of 13.1 until Grace Isley ran a 12.9 in 2019.
“I was surprised that I got it that quickly at the Madison Invitational. I tied the 100 last meet and have come pretty close in the long jump,” she said. “I was really not expecting that.”
Hauser girls track coach Shannon Dailey isn’t surprised by Russell’s performance this season. Dailey saw how much potential Russell had three years ago when Dailey was the junior high coach.
“I thought right away that she was going to be something special,” Dailey said. “She’s definitely a hard worker. She’s always doing what we ask, and she’s always working hard. She doesn’t slack off, but she is definitely also gifted.”
In addition to track, Russell also played basketball and soccer growing up. She has played soccer since elementary school and was part of the inaugural Hauser girls soccer team last fall.
Russell also competes on the team’s 4×100 relay.
“It helps me stay conditioned moreso, too, and with endurance,” she said.
While it can get intimidating for a freshman to be lined up with with much bigger upperclassmen, Russell said she doesn’t get fazed by it at all and only worries about her race.
“I just try to calm myself down because usually, I’m pretty nervous before a run and try to block everything else out and focus on running and what I have to do,” Russell said. “In the end, I can’t really psych myself out about the competition and know that I can do it and focus on what I have to do.”
Before the outdoor season began, Russell competed in the long jump in the Hoosier State Relays — the unofficial state indoor track and field meet — at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in March. She has gone 16 feet, 1 inch in the long jump, which isn’t far off the school record of 16-10 1/2 set by Brooke Sneed in 2009.
“She just seems so calm and is very quiet. She’ll just smile. She’s sweet, calm and she doesn’t even seem like she’s fazed. She goes out there and does it. Every time she does it, I’m not surprised,” Dailey said. “Like (Tuesday), I’m not surprised she broke it again because she’s going to keep doing this. When she goes in there though, she’s pretty calm and collected. It doesn’t seem to faze her that she is with all these older kids.”
Russell should be favored in some of the events in the conference meet Tuesday. There’s also the potential of making it out of the sectional in a couple weeks.
“She should be up there. I think she’ll definitely get some firsts, but she will have some competition from a few schools, but I think can still pull it off because she’s got that grit about her,” Dailey said. “They won’t see her coming. People think about the juniors and seniors, and she’s only a freshman. I’m excited to see what she does.”
As a reward, the team will have ice cream whenever school records are broken with the most recent happening Wednesday after Tuesday’s meet. It’s safe to say, it may not the be the last time the team will have ice cream.
“They all cheer her on,” Dailey said. “They’re happy and excited for her. They’re not jealous at all… They know how fast she can go.”
Regardless of how her season ends, Russell is thrilled about her record-breaking year.
“I’m very excited with how it’s going so far, especially with the 200 record. I’ve been breaking that,” she said.
