Hamilton Southeastern senior and Iowa commit Chloe Senefeld was a rookie in the 300 hurdles.
Her track reputation was forged as a sprinter, who primarily raced in the 200 and 400 meters. An athlete that regulated the anchor leg for HSE’s relay teams.
Once the end of her junior season rolled around, right before state qualifiers, Senefeld threw her name into the hat for the hurdles. She turned in some offseason training the winter before, but she didn’t get her first opportunity to compete until May 2025. She did well at a junior varsity meet before she placed second at both sectionals (44.19 seconds) and regionals (42.98) to qualify for state.
“Pretty much all of her first four races, she was scared to death,” said HSE coach Julie Alano. “But if you’re willing to deal with the fear of falling and not have that take over too much then you can usually use your speed and strength to be pretty good at the hurdles.”
As a newbie in the event, Senefeld placed second at the Indiana girls state track meet in her sixth time running the 300 hurdles. Her time of 42.62 was about a second behind state champion Jada Harper (41.52) of New Albany.
Senefeld was just shy of state title glory, but her breakthrough run drew Division I attention. She announced her commitment to the Hawkeyes in October 2025.
“I had been running since fourth grade and then to completely change everything I know and just jump into hurdles my junior year, it just took a lot of trust in my coaches,” Senefeld said. “Just trusting them in getting me to that point it really just changed my entire future in track, and so I’m super thankful for that.”
Senefeld’s meteoric rise as a hurdler was hinted at for years. When she was a freshman, one of her trainers told her she would become a college hurdler.
She didn’t believe him.
Once her junior campaign arrived, several of her coaches suggested her to try hurdles — a recommendation that made its way to Alano, a former college hurdler turned HSE head coach.
After asking to be a part of the event, Senefeld was eventually immersed in the 300 hurdles. Senefeld got to work on her form and leaned on her speed and strength. She also trained alongside Elia Blackmore, who was a senior and Indiana recruit for the Royals.
“I feel like that competition but the friendship between the two of them also drove her to be better at it,” said HSE senior Laila Ehrgott. “I feel like (placing second at state is) a combination of her natural talent, but along with her work ethic because she is probably the most determined person I ever met.”
One year after she flirted with a state title, Senefeld has owned space atop the high school track stratosphere. She is currently ranked first in the state in the 300 hurdles with a time of 42.51 — which is also a school record.
Without Blackmore by her side, Senefeld has found new ways to push her limits. She has focused on the 100 hurdles to better her form in the 300. She has done workouts with athletes running without hurdles next to her.
Her speed is on par with the boys on the team, an attribute that separates her from most of her challengers her on the oval.
“She usually runs workouts faster than almost all of our boys,” Alano said. “She does not hold back; her workouts are amazing.”
Senefeld is a four-time All-American. A Nike Outdoor national champion. A 13-time IHSAA state medalist and three-time state qualifier. A 2025 champion in the 4×400 relay. She’s now chomping at the bit for an individual state title, an accolade that has eluded her throughout her high school career.
But her body of work has her pinned as a state title favorite this season.
Her high motor and consistency have been the secret sauce to her success. She’s earned the reputation as a speedster with an unquestionable work ethic. She exploded onto the scene as a rookie before she blossomed into a veteran in the preps track game. She has prioritized sleep and nutrition to level up her game. She has occupied space in the HSE record books, a blue chipper that operates with all gas and no breaks.
Her drive rubs off on those closest to her, a trait that has helped the Royals achieve the state’s No. 1 time (3:50.60) in the 4×400 relay.
Senefeld is a late bloomer in the 300 hurdles, but she has a realistic shot at state gold. She knows there’s still work to be done before he can capture magic on the grand stage.
She is on a quest for state title glory in an event that has become a platform for her talent and future.
“I feel like that’s what really fuels my practices because every workout matters,” Senefeld said. “We’re getting close, there’s like a month-ish to state, so just knowing every little bit matters. Just kind of thinking towards (and) focusing on the end goal which is state.
“It takes so much dedication; you really have to make track everything. You have put all your time and effort towards that. It’s really just putting in the time and being willing to sacrifice so many things to get to that level.”
Marc Ray is a high school sports reporter at the IndyStar. He can be reached at marc.ray@indystar.com , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: HSE senior Chloe Senefeld started hurdles last season. She’s already a state title favorite.
Reporting by Marc Ray, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
