CHATHAM — Chatham Glenwood senior ASHLYN CHOPRA and junior ALI LONDRIGAN paired up for the 3200-meter run at the Central State Eight Conference girls track and field meet on Thursday, May 7.
Londrigan won by .06 seconds, but the outcome was downplayed as a footnote.
“We wanted to get a good race for the mile, so (coach Mike) Garber basically told us that we could just tempo-run the 2-mile and run it together,” Chopra said. “It was just a really good experience to just be able to go out there and have fun for that race.
“We train together and practice all the time, so it was just another run with my girl.”
They certainly intend to pick up the pace in the Class 3A O’Fallon Sectional on Wednesday, May 13.
“It was really memorable since we’ll be racing each other the next two weeks at sectionals and state,” Londrigan said.
New legacy
Chopra, Londrigan and fellow junior SOPHIE RENTMEISTER have chronicled unprecedented success in Glenwood long-distance lore.
They mopped up a second Class 2A state title this past cross country season after winning the school’s first team title in 2023.
They also herald the school’s highest individual state medals. Chopra surged to third place for her third cross country state medal, while Rentmeister (fourth) and Londrigan (seventh) claimed their second state medals.
Londrigan, who set the initial benchmark when she took seventh place in 2023, was named The State Journal-Register’s 2025 Large School Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.
She is once again eyeing the 1600 and 3200 at sectionals. She wrangled a state medal in both events last spring against more rigorous 3A competition. She favors the quicker pace and manifold strategies that encompass the oval.
“I love how it really comes down to that last lap,” Londrigan said. “I feel like it’s more fun to watch and it’s more fun to do. I just enjoy it.”
Different paths
Chopra signed with University of Dayton in November.
She achieved her best 3-mile time in nearly 17 minutes flat during the cross country season before reaching the finish line in 17:12.5 at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
She is mostly now focused on the 2-mile where she broke the 11-minute barrier at the start of May.
Chopra said she had never tried endurance running until sixth grade and never imagined it could be so rewarding. Londrigan and Rentmeister echoed the same sentiment.
“I did cross country and track camps when I was younger, but I didn’t think it would become something I would love so much,” Chopra said. “The thing that I love about the sport the most is how rewarding it is. You get out what you put in.
“There’s no favoritism. It’s you and the clock, and the clock doesn’t lie. You get to put in all of your work and all your effort, and you get to see the results from it.”
They also cherish the team aspect that envelops the sport. Chopra said she feels a sense of comfort seeing another Glenwood jersey racing alongside her.
“It’s really just fun for us three especially because we’re always competing and always working together, not even just in practices but also in races,” Rentmeister said. “If Ashlyn’s in front of me, she’s pushing for me to be faster.
“We’re pushing each other always and it’s just great to go out there, compete and when we cross the finish line, we have someone to high-five and say congratulations.”
It ultimately led Rentmeister to spurn 13 years of soccer. Rentmeister intends to undertake the 800, 1600 and possibly the 4×400 relay at sectionals. The relay may also include Londrigan and Chopra as well.
“I’ve always been the fastest on the (soccer) field and I think that’s what really got me to fall in love with running,” Rentmeister said. “My mom (Alicia) encouraged me to go out for it because my mom and my grandpa (Ron) are both runners, so it’s been something that’s been in my family. My freshman year I decided, ‘Wow, I really love this sport.’”
Londrigan started off as a swimmer.
“It’s basically the exact same thing as running,” Londrigan said. “I’ve always just loved that about this sport and I love how it’s both team and individual at the same time.”
That team camaraderie is invaluable.
“We all stay to the end of the meets,” Chopra said. “We all cheer on every race, whether it’s track, whether it’s field, whether it’s hurdles — anything. We just all cheer on each other, so it’s nice to able to have the positive atmosphere to get stronger and get faster knowing that you have such a good support system.”
Here are other top girls track and field performers to watch, listed alphabetically by school. State rankings are based on results available at athletic.net.
Ava Bee, Athens
The junior stars in both the triple and long jump. She reached 36 feet, 4 inches in the triple jump at the Sangamon County meet on May 8. The mark ranks third in Class 1A. Her 17-11 ½ in the long jump is sixth in 1A.
AJ Crispen, Athens
The junior logged 12.35 seconds in the 100-meter dash at the Sangamon County meet on May 8 to move into the top 10 in 1A.
Emily Wisniewski, Auburn
The sophomore has cleared the second-highest mark among 1A competitors in the high jump with a height of 5-5.
Diana Huerta, Beardstown
The senior pulled off 36-5 in the triple jump on May 4 for the second highest mark in 1A. Her 18-3 in the long jump on April 20 is the third highest.
Iye Adaramola, Chatham Glenwood
The sophomore anchored the winning 4×200 relay (1:45.50) with Audri Brown, Layne Matthew and Natalie Fair at the CS8 meet. She was also second in the 100 (12.39) and 200 (25.40).
Ella Brawner, Gillespie
The freshman pole vaulter has never lost a meet and set a new personal best at the Macoupin County meet. She eclipsed 11 feet, 2 inches. The mark ranks third in Class 1A.
Millie Schumacher, Jacksonville Routt
The sophomore boasts the top time out of the 1A field in the 800. She posted 2:16.65 on May 1.
Addison Campbell, Lincoln
The sophomore picked up second place in the 100-meter hurdles at the CS8 meet. She ran near her personal best and crossed the finish line in 15.77 seconds.
Taylor Short, Lincoln
The freshman won the 800 at the CS8 meet just ahead of Chatham Glenwood’s Sophie Rentmeister in 2:16.15. The time places her ninth in 2A.
Kilee Hoover, Litchfield
The sophomore high jumper ascended into the 1A top 10 at the South Central Conference meet, going over the 5-4 bar.
Alena Graham, Mount Olive
The freshman won three events at the MSM Conference meet. Her strongest is the 400, where her personal-best 58.40 on May 1 ranks third in 1A.
Chloe Green, Mount Olive
The junior tossed 39-2 ½ in the shot put during April. The mark ranks sixth in 1A.
Madigan Burger, New Berlin
The senior led off the winning 4×400 relay (4:10.32) at the Sangamo meet. The time ranks fifth in 1A. The relay also includes Marlow Burger, Adie Stinson and Brookelyn Fuchs.
Reagan McGlauchlen, Pana
The senior threw a personal best of 133-11 in the discus throw on April 30. The distance ranks third in 1A.
Maggie Zimmerman, Petersburg PORTA
The senior touts the school’s indoor and outdoor school records in the 1600 and 3200. Her outdoor 3200 time of 10:50.24 at the Sangamo meet ranks second in the 1A field, while her 5:08.09 in the 1600 is eighth statewide.
Maddy Hegele, Pleasant Plains
The sophomore led off the winning 4×800 relay (10:24.73) at the Sangamo meet. The relay, which also includes Alli VanVeldhuizen, Finley Ewald and Alaina Hawker, raced under 10 minutes to reach third place in the 1A indoor meet on March 27. Hegele and Hawker each won gold in the 4×400 relay at last year’s outdoor meet.
Peyton Zeidler, Rochester
The junior may be pursuing three state medals. Her 38-2 ¾ ranks third in the 2A triple jump, while her 18-1 in the long jump is seventh. She additionally reached 46.99 in the 300 hurdles at the CS8 meet. Rochester’s 4×800 relay that consists of Calista Gardner, Ashley Zeibert, Charlotte Long and Natalie Nichols ushered the fifth best time (9:44.20) in 2A on April 24.
Jocelyn Esther, Rushville-Industry
The freshman achieved 36 feet for the fourth best mark in the 1A triple jump on April 3.
Antonette Bartletti, Sacred Heart-Griffin
The senior earned second in the 400 (57.73) and 4×100 relay (50.56) at the CS8 meet. She won the indoor 4×200 relay title in 2A with Rourke Gibbs, Abigail Gossett and Gianna Bonasinga. Bartletti, Gibbs, Gossett and Kate Lambert rank sixth overall in the 2A 4×400 with a time of 4:05.38.
Alannah Lowery, Southeast
The senior excels in both the triple and long jump. She not only soared to 39 feet in the triple at the Girls City meet on April 28 for the second best mark in 2A but also reached 18-2 for the fourth best mark in the long jump.
Elsie Williamson, Taylorville
The junior hurled 134 feet for the second highest mark in the 2A discus throw at the Apollo Conference meet on May 7. She threw 133 feet at last year’s 2A outdoor state meet for bronze.
Taylor Bressan, Williamsville
The senior won both the individual 400 (1:01.55) and 4×100 relay (50.98) at the Sangamo meet. Her 58.79 on April 24 ranks 11th in the 2A 400.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: See the 25 top girls track and field performers so far around Springfield
Reporting by Bill Welt, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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