Maddie Francis continued her dominant hurdling at the UIL 1A state Championships
2026 UIL Track and Field State Championships
The UIL 1A girls' 100-meter hurdles final once again turned into a showcase for Silverton senior Maddie Francis, who closed out her high school hurdle career with another dominant state championship performance. One year after setting the classification state meet record at 14.79 under legal conditions, Francis returned to Austin as the overwhelming favorite after posting a 14.85 regional qualifying mark. While challengers such as Gordon's Abigail Kirkpatrick, Wells senior Kaitlyn Collins, and Bellevue's Brylie Hager entered with strong credentials, the race ultimately became another reminder of just how far ahead Francis stood within the classification.
At the gun, Nazareth freshman Aubree Rowland in lane one and Hager in lane three both exploded to strong starts and briefly challenged the favorite through the opening strides. Francis, however, remained composed and quickly matched their acceleration. By the time the field approached the third hurdle, the Silverton senior had already begun taking control. Her rhythm between hurdles and clean clearance technique immediately separated her from the rest of the field, and once she gained the lead, the race was effectively over.
UIL 1A Girls 100-Meter Hurdles
Francis continued attacking each barrier aggressively and never backed off over the final hurdles, crossing the finish line in a stunning 14.53 (+4.5). Although the strong tailwind prevented the performance from counting as an official record, the time was significantly faster than her own classification record from a year ago and stood as one of the fastest all-conditions marks ever run in UIL history. Kirkpatrick finished second in 15.73, while Aspermont sophomore Emilee Silva took third in 15.97.
The race not only delivered Francis her second consecutive state championship, but also reinforced her place among the greatest hurdlers the UIL 1A classification has ever seen. Even without the aid of record-legal wind conditions, her performance was historically dominant and served as a fitting conclusion to an exceptional high school career.
Maddie Francis continued her dominant hurdling at the UIL 1A state Championships
2026 UIL Track and Field State Championships
The UIL 1A girls' 100-meter hurdles final once again turned into a showcase for Silverton senior Maddie Francis, who closed out her high school hurdle career with another dominant state championship performance. One year after setting the classification state meet record at 14.79 under legal conditions, Francis returned to Austin as the overwhelming favorite after posting a 14.85 regional qualifying mark. While challengers such as Gordon's Abigail Kirkpatrick, Wells senior Kaitlyn Collins, and Bellevue's Brylie Hager entered with strong credentials, the race ultimately became another reminder of just how far ahead Francis stood within the classification.
At the gun, Nazareth freshman Aubree Rowland in lane one and Hager in lane three both exploded to strong starts and briefly challenged the favorite through the opening strides. Francis, however, remained composed and quickly matched their acceleration. By the time the field approached the third hurdle, the Silverton senior had already begun taking control. Her rhythm between hurdles and clean clearance technique immediately separated her from the rest of the field, and once she gained the lead, the race was effectively over.
