COLUMBUS — Madison Henkel has her repeat.
The Shelby senior won her second consecutive state long jump championship on Saturday, June 6, at the Jesse Owens Ohio High School Athletic Association State Track and Field Championships.
Henkel recorded a winning distance of 19-11½ to not only win the state title but set a new state meet and Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium record. The jump came a week after breaking the Division III regional track meet record when she soared 19-07 on her 18th birthday and two weeks after winning the district title with a 17-10. She jumped 19-07.50 on her first jump of the state meet to break her own Division III record.
Last season, she won the Division II state title in the event before repeating the feat in Division III in 2026 after the OHSAA expanded divisions from three to five in the sport. Repeating is not easy and Henkel felt the pressure as soon as she stepped off the track in 2025 to do everything she could to make sure she was on the top of the podium in 2026.
“I knew I was capable of more in track,” Henkel said. “All through my high school career, I was always so focused on volleyball, but this winter, I put everything into track. Getting stronger and faster and it paid off. I knew I was capable of more than what I did last year even though there was so much pressure on repeating. I am so proud I proved myself.”
Henkel had a stellar year in the long jump with invite championships at the Shelby High School Invite, the 94th Mehock Relays, the Triway High School Invite and the Bellevue Elks Invitational She went 19-5.5 at the Mehock breaking the record in the nearly century-old invitational.
But, she saved her best for last. During the Division III state finals, Henkel had five jumps of 19-plus feet and one more that went 18-02.50. All six of her jumps would have won her the state title, but she is going to cherish one for the rest of her life.
“I’d definitely pick the 19-11 jump,” Henkel said. “It felt insane. I knew it was a good one and my adrenaline was really pumping on that jump. My body felt numb and there were tingles so I just knew it was going to be a special jump.”
She saved her best performance for last and ends her long jump career with a unique day.
“It was such a consistent day going in the 19s in all my jumps except my last one,” Henkel said. “The stadium and this environment, it is so easy to get amped up in this high-pressure situation. I am so proud that I rose to the occasion and performed the way I wanted to.”
Going into her final jump, she already had the state title clinched by nearly two feet. She could have popped off an 11-04 like she did at the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference meet, just for old-times sake.
“That was traumatizing enough,” Henkel said with a laugh. “I don’t ever want to do that again.”
Instead, she set her sights on even more. Typical of an athlete of Henkel’s caliber.
“I was really hoping for 20 on that last jump,” Henkel said. “We had the clap started and I moved back quite a bit just to try and get some extra speed. Unfortunately, I was behind the board a lot and didn’t get to hit 20, but I am so proud of myself.”
Before her senior season, Henkel was tabbed the No. 1 athlete in the Richland 200 series along with fellow Whippet Brayden DeVito and the No. 1 returning Richland County female track athlete of 2026. With her second consecutive state title, Henkel more than lived up to the billing even before her second straight state title when she became a 1,000-kill volleyball player this fall.
And to top it off, she made her dad, Joel, cry again.
“My dad is emotional like me,” Henkel said. “I even shed a few tears. I think a lot of people did because this moment is so special to all of us.”
Henkel, who is headed to Coastal Carolina to continue her track career, joins Allsion Booth as the only two-time state champions in Shelby girls track and field history. Booth won the discus in 2002 and 2003 and the shot put in 2003. On the boys side, Jason Mueller, Austin Wechter, Andre Wechter, Caleb Brown and Blake Lucius are the only two-plus-time state champions.
“It is a group of very elite athletes and it is an honor to be a part of that,” Henkel said.
Henkel is a four-time All-Ohioan in the long jump and only knows one way to celebrate, by trying to anchor her 4×100-meter relay to a state title.
“That is a better way to celebrate,” Henkel said. “I would love to win that with my teammates. That is the goal and I hope my teammates are amped up after watching this.”
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Shelby’s Girls State Championship History
Individual and Relay State Champions: Lisa Smith, 1989, 3,200-meter run; Allsion Booth, 2002 and 2003, Discus; Allison Booth, 2003, Shot Put; B. Grove, K. Hartings, J. McClish, T. Adkins, 2003, 4×200-meter relay; Madison Henkel, 2025, Long Jump; Madison Henkel, 2026, Long Jump.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Henkel breaks state and stadium record, wins second consecutive OHSAA state long jump title
Reporting by Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal | USA TODAY Network
