Highland Park Senior Sets State Sprint Records, Wins 2 Golds

CHARLESTON, IL — Highland Park High School senior Taylor Gilling set personal, school and state records on her way to gold medals Saturday at Eastern Illinois University. With times of 11.32 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 23.10 seconds in the 200-meter event at the 2019 IHSA Class 3A state finals, the University of Wisconsin recruit became the fastest female sprinter in the state in the final meet of her high school career.

Gilling's 200-meter time is an all-time state record, coming in 0.2 seconds faster than the previous record holder. Her winning time in the 100-meter is the fastest in a state meet history and the third-fastest overall time recorded, according to IHSA records. Last year, Gilling took fourth place in the 100 meter dash and second in the 200 meter. She missed out on the state meet due to injury her sophomore year after qualifying her freshman year.

In Friday's preliminary round, Gilling burst into the tears of joy after setting her previous personal bests with 11.65 seconds in the 100-meter and 24.17 seconds in the 200-meter dash.

"I'm just so surprised I was able to do it because I've been waiting for state for such a long time," Gilling told the Daily Herald.

As the only Giant to compete at the state track meet, Gilling won the first — and second — individual state championship in the history of the HPHS girls track program. Gilling told the Lake County News-Sun she was in disbelief after the race.

"I don’t even know what just happened," she said. "I feel really happy to set a state record. The good weather just pushed me faster. To win two events is amazing.”

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Taylor Gilling of Highland Park, Illinois will be joining the Badgers as a sprinter next season! A USATF All-American, Gilling is the reigning 100 and 200m USATF Regional champion pic.twitter.com/uTkj0ojtdc
— Wisconsin Track & Field (@BadgerTrackXC) December 3, 2018