Success indoors

Anna Roessner had a strong indoor track season in 2024, setting up a run to the state finals once the Indians hit the outdoors.

In 2025, she didn’t wait for the outdoor season as she brought home some new gold hardware.

Roessner capped off the indoor track season at the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Division VI state meet, claiming the championship in two events and finishing as the runner-up in one more.

The indoor track season treated Roessner well last year prior to her breakout outdoor season. Last year’s progression pushed the FRHS senior to focus on her offseason and indoor training even further.

“I think that mentality is a lot of it,” Roessner said. “I did all the same training but I think this year I really focused on putting 100% effort into everything I did. I’m trying to eat better, just in general be more confident at meets and telling myself ‘I trust myself, I trust the process, I trust my training and I trust in God and it’ll go from there.’”

She’s already seeing the fruits of her labor.

During the indoor state meet, she brought home the first place medal in the 60-meter dash and the 400 dash. Roessner also placed second in the 200 dash.

In the 60 dash, Roessner ran a 7.58 to beat Audra McMichael of Spencerville by 0.44 seconds. She topped the 400 dash by a similar margin as her 56.42 second time beat out Oberlin’s Olivia Hudson by 0.38.

“I was pretty excited,” Roessner said. “I think I didn’t have as much competition in the 60, so I went in like, ‘I need to win this.’ I went in pretty confident so that wasn’t surprising to me.

“The 400 I was pretty happy about because it’s not my favorite race because it’s really hard.”

Roessner’s 24.56 time in the 200 dash finished behind Izzy Zahn (24.21) of Coldwater. The 0.35 second difference was an improvement from the 2024 outdoor season, when Zahn won the 200 state title by a 0.54 second margin. (Roessner finished third in the outdoor 200 dash and beat Zahn for fifth place in the 100 dash last season.)

There are some key differences between the indoor and outdoor seasons, including who can all participate, which events are put on — the 60 dash isn’t in the outdoor season — and who runs the events as the former isn’t sponsored by the OHSAA.

So, while it isn’t a guarantee that Roessner’s recent success will directly translate to the high school season, her and FRHS track coach Christy Diller are hopeful it is a good sign of what’s to come.

“Indoor has clearly been a good thing for her,” said Diller. (Roessner was coached by Ty Waters during the indoor season as Fort Recovery students participate on a club team.) “Does that translate to outdoor? Not always. Now, in her case last year she was able to translate that very well and I have super high hopes for this year.”

The first look at Roessner during the outdoor season will come on Tuesday, April 1, when the Indians will open up their season with a quad meet at Marion Local.

Her brother, Isaac Roessner also competed at the indoor state meet — he was one of just two sophomores. He placed 12th in the long jump (18 feet, 9 inches) and 15th in the 400 dash (55.54).