After four years of relentless training, setbacks and growth, Elijah Ferguson’s journey came full circle as he crossed the finish line in 46.05 seconds to win his first gold medal in the 400-meter dash at the 2025 UIL 6A State Track & Field Championships.
“After all the tears and disappointments I’ve faced, it feels great to finally come out on top in my last high school 400-meter race,” said Ferguson, a senior. “All the studying I did on my own races and staying up just to figure out how to improve minor details and get my times to drop have all paid off.”
Ferguson, who is ranked No. 4 in Texas and among the top five in state history after running 45.46 at the Regional meet, has made it to the UIL 6A state meet three times, but it wasn’t until this year that he was able to walk away with the gold medal.
Attention to detail, mixed with dedication and a desire to win, pushed Ferguson to make his third UIL 6A state appearance his senior year and run 46.05 in the 400-meter dash, finishing ahead of Northwest’s sophomore Cooper Lutkenhaus (46.30) and Austin Lake Travis’s junior Abram Reagan (46.54).
“Winning gold means everything to me. It’s the result of years of hard work, injuries, setbacks and growth. I never gave up.”
Elijah Ferguson
“Winning gold means everything to me,” said Ferguson. “It’s the result of years of hard work, injuries, setbacks and growth. I never gave up.”
In addition to his state title, Ferguson also holds two school records at Mayde Creek High School: 20.92 in the 200-meters and his historic 45.46 in the 400-meters. His achievements have earned him a scholarship to Texas Tech University, where he’ll continue his academic and athletic career.
“I chose Texas Tech because Lubbock is quiet and I’m a quiet person,” said Ferguson. “Coach Zach Glavash made my mom and me feel like he really cared about me, not just because I ran fast, but because he had an interest in seeing me become successful even outside of sports. While at Texas Tech, I plan to major in Kinesiology.”
Ferguson’s journey hasn’t been without its struggles.
His freshman season was plagued by shin splints that later progressed into stress fractures. His season ended shortly after he placed seventh in the Regional round.
As a sophomore, Ferguson made his first state appearance, but a lack of focused speed training that year kept him from running faster times. He ultimately placed fourth in the 400-meter dash at the UIL 6A state meet after running 47.55 seconds.
“When I crossed the finish line with three other people ahead of me, it made me realize I needed to work harder because a state title wasn’t going to just drop in my hands. I had to put in work when others weren’t,” said Ferguson.
Dedicated to improving, Ferguson took his training to the next level by committing to the weight room and incorporating Olympic lifts into his workout. By doing so, he added muscle and built the strength needed to power through both physical resistance and harsh race conditions. The result of the dedication allowed him to make his second UIL 6A state appearance and earn a bronze medal in the 400-meter dash after running 47.10.
Unsatisfied with his third-place finish, Ferguson looked even deeper into ways to improve.
“Third place wasn’t enough for me,” said Ferguson. “I wanted more. People would say I should be proud that I got a medal, but I wasn’t. I wanted gold because I knew I was capable of it.”
Ferguson spent the summer leading into his senior year focusing heavily on speed training and sprint mechanics with Mayde Creek head track coach Maereon Lewis.
“Elijah is the definition of perseverance,” said Mayde Creek head track coach Mareon Lewis. “He never took shortcuts. Every rep, every drill, every setback—he used it all to fuel his success. Dedication equals results.”
About Elijah Ferguson:
Class: 2025
IG: @Ferguson400m
Twitter: @Ferguson400m
Events: 200-meter, 400-meter, 4×400-meter relay
Height & weight: 5-feet-10, 150 pounds
Favorite artist: Future
Status: Committed to Texas Tech University
Favorite subject: Science
Shout outs: Mom, Coach Evans, Coach Lewis and Coach Siemers
