Cat-loving champion is Butler-bound

In 2008, St. Louis Park three-sport athlete Mara Olson pulled of a shocker when, as a ninth-grader, she won the 1,600-meter run at the Class 2A state track and field meet.

Now a senior, Olson, who also excels in soccer and basketball and was named the St. Louis Park 2011 Athena Award winner, has been close in two state meets since, but has yet to find to find the top of the podium again. She was third in 2009 and sixth in '10.

Olson talked about how she would love to win another title but, if she doesn't, she will have no regrets.

Q Your state championship is close to three years ago. Does it seem that long ago?

A No. It was a pretty miraculous thing. Time flies.

Q How do you remember that race?

A The whole state champion thing snuck up on me. I was eighth or ninth with 300 meters to go and I just wanted to get on the podium, so I knew I needed at least sixth place. I gave it my all and a state championship snuck up and bit me on the butt.

A I wish now that it had happened later. I was too young to know how big a deal it was. But I really appreciate it. Very few people can say they won a state championship.

Q Has it been frustrating trying to repeat that success?

A Somewhat. My sophomore year was the hardest. I went in with the burden of having been a champion and that's an incredible onus to have. There was a lot of pressure. I was devastated. I went in expecting too much.

Q What about this year? Can you win another championship?

A I've been working hard towards it and my times are dropping, but the competition is also increasing. It's something I strive for, but I've accepted that winning one championship is an amazing feat and I'm grateful for it.

A Honestly, they gave me a lot of money. But it's also only about 4,000 undergrads, which is about the size of school I was looking for.

Q You've been successful in other sports besides track, however.

A In basketball, defense was my strong point until this year, when I started scoring. Being the leading scorer was never something I expected. And soccer is my favorite sport. I've played it since I was five.

Q You clearly have been pretty busy.

A The amazing thing about going to St. Louis Park is that you can be a three-sport athlete.

A All of my strongest memories incorporate different people. St. Louis Park has provided lots of different and diverse experiences, especially in sports. The thing I'm going to miss the most is all the different people I've met.

Q What else to do you do outside of sports?

A I'm an entertainment page editor and artist for the school paper. Last year, I was a writer. I thought I did pretty well with that.

Q Really? What have you written that you are most proud of?

A Probably my most renowned piece was a column I wrote about cats.

A I know is makes me seem super-nerdy, but I love cats. They embody who I am. I don't see myself becoming one of those cat-ladies, but I will always have cats.