By Rich Winter

605 Sports

ARLINGTON — Arlington senior Chloe Raw is getting faster.

At the 2024 Dan Lennon indoor meet, Raw won the 60-meter dash (:7.87). At the same meet in 2025 Raw won the same event (:7.70) and the future South Dakota State runner says that performance gives her confidence heading into the season. 

“My top end speed has always been there but my start hasn’t been the best,” Raw said. “Knowing that my start is so much better already this year I feel like my outdoor personal bests are going to be significantly lower this year.” 

Raw comes into the 2025 track season with outdoor personal bests of (:12.01) in the 100-meter dash, (:24.86) in the 200-meter dash and 16-10.25 in the long jump. She is the defending Class B champion in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash and finished second in the Class B long jump.

Not bad for someone who only picked up track after transferring to Arlington prior to her freshman year of high school. 

“I used to live in Anoka, Minnesota and all I ever did with track was competing in the track and field days,” she said. “I used to be a cheerleader and in gymnastics and at the middle school where I went they didn’t encourage people to compete in multiple sports.” 

Arlington track coach Tim Boeck has watched a shy freshman that didn’t have the right cleats blossom into one of the top sprinters in South Dakota, regardless of class. 

“Any drill we put on she sets a good example for the young kids to try and learn,” Boeck said “When she came here as a freshman she hadn’t had anything to do with track so to see her progression has been remarkable.”

At one point Raw played volleyball but the speedster fell in love with track and has been training year around for the last few seasons. 

“I go to Boom Athletics in Sioux Falls and throughout the whole year,” she said. “They’ve helped me with my start and I’ve gotten a lot stronger because of lifting weights.” 

While Raw has made plenty of noise in the Class B ranks she relishes the opportunity to mix it up against athletes from the larger classes. 

Raw posted the fastest time in the 200-meter dash finals at the state track meet (:25.24) earning the gold medal in that event. 

“It definitely felt good to win that gold medal,” she said. “It’s amazing and a privilege to compete against other athletes that are really good and that helps me run better times.” 

Boeck notes that Raw’s times in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash are just outside the top-10 all time in South Dakota. He thinks Raw’s love of the sport and the extra work she’s been putting in this off-season are going to lead to some fast times. 

“The folks over at Boom Athletics do the right types of exercises, all things that can increase your quickness and vertical,” he said. “She’s really bought into that and when you have a gift and you buy into it with some want and desire good things are going to happen.” 

Raw has gotten off to a slow start indoors in the long jump this season. Boeck feels like it’s very early in the season and once Raw gets outside and starts working on the event some long jumps are coming. 

Raw only began long jumping last year and feels like her best jumps are ahead of her. 

“It’s an interesting kind of event,” she said. “I’m not quite there on proper form but I’m trying to get there with my form. I love the long jump and it’s really fun and they want me to long jump in college.”

Raw hints that she may give the 400-meter dash a try this season as she and Boeck have done the math and feel like the event is something Raw can explore this season. 

For an athlete that is still relatively new to track, Raw is just enjoying the experience. 

“I like that this is an individual sport and something you can always work hard at,” she said. “I love being able to train and improve and I’ve made a bunch of new friends and I love the environment at the state track meet.”