ABOVE: Fairmont’s Macy Hanson, pictured left running in the girls 1,600-meter race at Gustavus Adolphus College on May 30, will compete in the Class AA State Track and Field girls 3,200 and girls 1,600 event next week at St. Michael-Albertville High School. File photo by Ari Selvey.

FAIRMONT — A goal of Fairmont track and field head coach Jesse Walters since he started as an assistant coach in 2017 has been to bring a bus full of athletes to the State Track and Field Tournament.

There are 20 athletes competing in 17 different events. Some, like Oliver Tordsen and Hank Artz, qualified to be in multiple events. Macy Hanson and Harper Artz are in three, while Nelson Remington is in four state wheelchair categories.

Jase Meade, Ty Tumbleson, Jeremiah Lebbi, Carter Hanson, Jordan Thompson, Jaydon Putney, Brier Lenort, Caleb Chambers, and Dakota Wiley also secured spots on the boys’ side. Ellie Perkins, Nat Johnson, Addison Toothaker, Mollie Leiding and Madi Thompson secured state sports on the girls’ side.

Going into the season, Walters said he did have high expectations.

“We had a really good roster I was pretty excited about on both sides,” he said. “We returned some really good individuals that had some experience at state.”

Even with expectations as high as they were, Walters said they were exceeded by his athletes.

“The individuals, some of those you expect because you know what they throw or what they can run,” he said. “A couple of these relays I knew could be good, but I didn’t know for sure if they’d be good enough to go to state. They put the work in, and they did it.”

As for what his students exuded to get as far as they have, Walters said they have a selection of important skills in their wheelhouses.

“Work ethic, determination, consistency, and a word that we talked a lot about throughout the season was motivation,” he said. “Motivation can last a day or a week, but discipline is what it takes to be good and improve over a long period of time. We have kids that have good work ethics, but I think the ones that start separating towards the end of the year have that discipline to do the right thing every time.”

Preparation this year is different from the past, as they have more time. What was previously a Friday Saturday meet is now happening next week on Wednesday and Thursday. Walters said this is a double-edged sword.

“You gain a few practices in there,” he said. “The challenge can be staying focused, staying in that competitive mode, because you haven’t raced somebody now for quite a while. The benefit is that you can really start fine tuning some things with a smaller group.”

Looking to fine tune for state is senior Oliver Tordsen, who has the longest discus throw in the state for the 2025 season at 188 feet, 2 inches. He is enjoying the extra time before state competition.

“We get a full week to practice,” he said. “That’s always nice. We obviously really get our throws in for it in our weight room all the time.”

While his discus skills have drawn the most buzz, Tordsen said they weren’t near where they are now before the season.

“I never thought I was gonna get anywhere near 180 in discus,” he said. “That’s wild to me. I came into the year at 159 in discus. I started off pretty slow, didn’t break the school record until about five or six meets in and then I exploded from there. It went well for me in shot put. I have improved a lot too. I think I started at 49 feet this year, and then I increased my PR to 54 feet.”

As a senior, Tordsen said it is really important he get the most out of his final high school opportunity.

“I still need to hit 190,” he said. “My goal after hitting my first 180 was to hit 200. It’s my last one ever, right? My last high school competition. I gotta really put it all out there.”

For Tordsen, his coaches and teammates are what he’s going to miss the most about Fairmont Track and Field.

“I feel like our team is so tightly knit,” he said. “We’re a good group of people. We like cheering each other on. The coaches are so friendly and they want you to excel.”

The Fairmont track and field athletes will have their prelims Wednesday, June 11 starting at 9 a.m. at the St. Michael-Albertville High School track. Those who advance will have their finals Wednesday, June 12 starting at 9 a.m.