LOYSBURG — Southern Fulton sophomore Julia Madison didn’t begin competing in track and field until she was in seventh grade. She was not even sure Southern Fulton would have a team because there were no coaches at the onset of the program.
In her short varsity career, Madison is already starring on the track. She captured her second straight District 5 Class 2A girls 800-meter championship, Wednesday, May 13, at Northern Bedford County’s Panther Community Stadium, setting the district record in the process.
“This is very special for me to be going back to states,” said Madison. “Last year, when I came into the sport, I thought this was a very nerve-racking sport. This year, I was still a little nervous, but with time, experience and more training, I have really grown to love the sport for that purpose. It is very fulfilling.”
Her time of 2:17.44 broke the record of 2:19.70 set in 2018 by Everett’s Kaitlyn Maxwell. She beat the second-place finisher by more than 10 seconds.
Madison played soccer and basketball in junior high. She later gave up both sports and found a passion for track and field. She also is a member of the Southern Fulton cross country team.
“When I joined track in seventh grade, I thought I would do it to keep me in shape for basketball and soccer,” Madison said. “We didn’t even have coaches at the time when I signed up, so I didn’t even know if we’d have a track season. The coaches didn’t know what to do with me, so they put me in the 800, and I fell in love with it.”
Running cross country has also benefitted in Madison’s track and field success.
“I’m not the best at it, but it has definitely helped me,” Madison said. “The endurance it gives you is just another level. Running hills – especially Pennsylvania hills – is something else.”
Madison competed in the Middle School state track and field championships in eighth grade at Altoona. That’s when she truly realized track and field was a sport that she could be successful in.
“I thought to myself after that, ‘Maybe I can do this,'” Madison said. “I think track is something you grow into. I’ve since started doing indoor track as well. Track is very special. When I was younger, I didn’t have that one hobby. Soccer was hard to give up because it is such a fun sport, but it’s paid off.”
Madison won the 800 and 1600 meters at the Inter-County Conference championships this season. She owns the school record in the 800 and is a member of the record-setting 1600-meter relay team. Madison owns five individual and one relay record at Southern Fulton.
Madison finished 14th last year in the 800 at the PIAA 2A track and field championships at Shippensburg University. She is hoping to better that mark this season.
“I’m coming back with a little bit of a vengeance,” Madison said. “I am excited. Track has given me such a great opportunity to put in all my determination. When I find something that I love, I get very determined about it and I want to perfect it. Going into my junior and senior years, I am excited to push my body and hopefully go on and do this in college.”
Adam Ripple is the Daily American sports editor. He can be reached at 814-444-5926. Follow him on X @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Southern Fulton’s Julia Madison already a track and field star