Maplewood Sophomore Andrew Donaldson Shines at State Track Meet
DAYTON — Maplewood High School sophomore Andrew Donaldson made his mark at the state track and field meet last week in Dayton, earning a seventh-place finish in the Division III 800m race with a time of 1:56.44. This achievement marked the second consecutive year that Donaldson has qualified for the state meet and walked away with a medal.
Reflecting on his performance, Donaldson shared, “I was only a couple of seconds off of first place, but if you don’t have a shot for first, just go for the podium, and at least place myself in the Hall of Fame for my school as a sophomore. Once you know that you’re first, just go for that podium spot because, even though it’s not first, second, or third, it still feels good to be standing at a state podium.”
In addition to his individual success, Donaldson was also part of the Maplewood 4×800 relay team that placed fourth at last year’s state meet. This year, the team consisting of Brandon Calderwood, Trevor Shipman, and the brother duo of Alex and Andrew Donaldson kicked off the Division III running events with a 12th place finish.
Looking ahead, Donaldson expressed his determination to continue improving and aiming for the top of the podium in future competitions. With a strong support system and a drive to succeed, the young athlete is poised for even greater accomplishments in the seasons to come.