DES MOINES — Angelica Attinger ran her race in the Class 4A 400-meter hurdles at the 2026 Iowa high school state track and field meet on May 22.
The Ames senior placed 11th at state as a freshman, third as a sophomore and second as a junior. She set the school record in the event last year at one minute, 0.69 seconds, breaking the previous mark held by 2023 state champion and current Iowa Hawkeye Ali Frandsen.
But she had not been able to break the 1:02 barrier this season. She did come close at the Drake Relays, placing second in 1:02.43.
Attinger qualified for the state meet sixth among 4A runners in 1:03.12. She had one last chance to go under 1:02 on Friday.
She started in Lane 7. After usually running in the middle two lanes for the event, it was an unfamiliar spot for her.
“It’s really tough being in an outer lane,” Attinger said. “You can’t really gauge where everyone else is. When you hit that third corner, you’re kind of just hoping they don’t run up on you, and when they do, it just makes it all that much more of a mental battle to fight. I was really giving everything that I had left.”
Despite that obstacle, Attinger remained calm and collected. She got a clean start, cleared every hurdle clearly and made a strong final push.
In the end, she had finally broken 1:02, running a season-best 1:01.89 to place third.
“I’m happy that I finally hit a 1:01,” Attinger said. “After that 1:00.69 that I ran last season, it’s been kind of discouraging not getting close to it. This made me proud of myself.”
Waukee’s Jana Maharry won in 1:00.11 and Drake Relays champion Maeve Bowen-Burt of Iowa City High was second in 1:01.61.
Attinger, a future University of Chicago track and field athlete, was pleased with earning a spot on the podium three times in the 400 hurdles during her career.
“I’m happy,” Attinger said. “I love being here — it’s an experience within itself. I really appreciate all of the lessons I’ve learned from it.”
Jack Angell gets redemption
Colo-NESCO senior boys hurdler Jack Angell earned redemption in the 1A 400 hurdles on May 22.
Angell placed seventh in the 110 high hurdles as a junior, but he was unable to make the finals this season after placing 18th in the prelims.
He said he got the wrong foot out on the first hurdle in the 110 highs. Angell was not going to make that same mistake in the 400 hurdles later in the day.
Angell cleared every hurdle and kept a good pace throughout the race. He crossed the finish line in a PR time of 55.17 to place seventh.
“I used it as motivation,” Angell said. “I got out hard, stuttered too much – that can be improved – but I can’t complain. It was good.”
Angell also avenged just missing a top-eight finish in the 400 hurdles at last year’s state meet. He took ninth in 2025.
He also hit the time he was going for in the final hurdles race of his high school career.
“I was going for a low 55,” Angell said. “I did it.”
Bellevue’s Keenan Kilburg won the 1A 400 hurdles title in 52.78.
Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Angelica Attinger wins bronze for Ames in 400 hurdles at state track
Reporting by Joe Randleman, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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