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MAROA, Ill. (WCIA) – Klaire Eighner, a senior at Maroa-Forsyth, is gearing up to join Michigan State University in the fall.
Nevertheless, the prospective Spartan still has her sights set on the 2026 track season, as she aims to cap off her high school journey on a high note.
Eighner has consistently excelled in both fall and spring sports during her time in high school.
As a junior in 2024, she secured the 13th spot at the 1A state cross country meet and improved to sixth place as a senior.
On the renowned blue track in Charleston, she claimed ninth in the 1600-meter race in 2025 and achieved fifth place in the 3200-meter event.
Fresh off a 1600 personal best time of 4:55 on her way to a win at the Spartan Classic in St. Joseph, Eighner spoke with WCIA and expressed her excitement for her final IHSA postseason meets.
“It would mean everything to me,” she said, of potentially standing atop the podium in class 1A at state. “I’ve always wanted to be a state champion. And this year I really have a good chance of doing the double win at state. So it would mean a lot to me because I worked really hard to get my times faster through all of high school.”
Her recent 4:55 is 12 seconds faster than her mile time from 2025, and would’ve placed her third at state last spring.
She has also improved on her 10:55 3200 time from EIU’s campus in May of 2025, recently clocking 10:29 at the Sangamo Conference Championship. 10:29 would’ve earned second in 2025.
“Now I’m just trying to taper,” she said of training ahead of sectionals and state. “The workouts are just going to be getting easier, and shorter runs. Just making sure my legs and my body is fresh now for these races.”
Maroa-Forsyth is set to host its 1A girls’ track sectional on Thursday, May 14.