Twice as nice: Firth’s Madison Torgerson earns two All-American honors at the Junior Olympics

FIRTH – All-American has a nice ring to it.

Firth’s Madison Torgerson earned the moniker twice last week, capping a whirlwind couple of months that saw her help propel Firth High to a 3A state track and field team title in the spring, and culminated with a pair of All-American medals at the Junior Olympics.

Not bad for someone competing in their first varsity season of track and field.

“I was prepared for it,” Torgerson said of the pressure of competing in her first Junior Olympics. “There were some butterflies going in because it was a big stage, but I felt everyone had butterflies and that made it better because I knew everyone was feeling that way.”

Torgerson grew up playing softball and basketball. She competed as a thrower in track and field in junior high, but once she entered Firth High as a freshman, she decided to focus on pitching for the softball team during the spring.

Last year she decided to get back to track and field, where she had shown promise throwing the shot put and discus.

Turns out, it was a good decision.

The sophomore won the 3A state title in the shot put and finished third in the discus, earning much-needed points for a Firth team that went on to win its first state team title since 2004.

As if that wasn’t enough to celebrate, throwing coach Audra Wilkes suggested Torgerson try the hammer throw.

The hammer is not a high school event, but Wilkes thought Torgerson would be a natural and could be a ticket for her to eventually compete in college.

“I thought I’d give it a try,” Torgerson said.

So she started training in the hammer throw this summer and the results were immediate.

At the Junior Olympics qualifier in Provo, Utah, Torgerson advance to the national meet in the shot put and hammer.

So much for butterflies.

Her hammer throw of 154-0 earned Torgerson a second-place medal at the national meet (age 15-16 division) in Savannah, Georgia, and her shot put of 38-7.75 was good enough for sixth place and another medal.

Both marks were just off her personal best records, but bode well for the upcoming junior season.

Speaking of junior year, Torgerson said she might try-out for soccer in the fall and play basketball in the winter. She’ll also train for another big track and field stage and hopes to compete in the Simplot Games.