Addition or subtraction will show you that Madison Wiltrout has improved about 42 feet in the javelin over the past 13 months.
However, simple mathematics doesn't even begin to tell the story of the Connellsville Area standout's journey from an event novice to Pennsylvania's best to ever throw the 600-gram implement.
Just a sophomore, Wiltrout became the all-time state record holder Thursday at 168 feet, 5 inches with her runner-up finish at a blustery Penn Relays.
“It was very windy, I'm not a big fan of headwinds," she said of the conditions outside Franklin Field. “It didn't take it as much. I got enough oomph into that one. That headwind isn't something I like to throw in."
“I lost the point a little bit today with the wind. I didn't feel anything on (the record throw). I just let it go."
Wiltrout's final throw erased the old state record of 167-2 set by Allison Updike of Tamaqua at the 2010 USATF Junior Nationals in Iowa and Fawn Miller of Lakeview at the 2008 state track meet. Ironically, Miller also competed Thursday in Philadelphia, winning the collegiate javelin competition for Florida at 172-11.
A former baseball standout who threw the javelin for the first time in March 2014, Wiltrout opened what would soon become the finest girls' javelin competition in meet history with a throw of 146-4. The stakes were raised in the second round as the sophomore found the all-weather runway to her liking and grabbed the lead with a short-lived lifetime best of 166-4.
“It's easier to plant and get everything into the throw," she said of one of the advantages of an artificial surface underfoot. “You are not worried about slipping and all that."
She closed out the prelims with a 157-1 and remained in the lead heading into the final three throws. Wiltrout entered Thursday's competition ranked third nationally after her 164-11 heave at the Wildcat and Lady Spartan Invitationals on April 10. Since Latrobe, Wiltrout had topped 160 again in one of two dual meets.
The nation's No. 1 thrower heading into the weekend, Sophia Rivera of Brentwood, Mo., closed the gap on Wiltrout with a 165-7 in round 4. Wiltrout responded minutes later with a 162-6, but neither could improve on their penultimate throws.
Rivera, who pushed the national lead to 175-10 earlier this week, slipped into first with a heave of 169-6. Although she could not retake the lead, Wiltrout responded with the new statewide record on the final attempt of the afternoon.
“It was pretty hard knowing what she threw," Wiltrout said of the last-round dramatics. “I just wanted to get it out as far as I could.
“Going in last, it does put it all on you, the last throw of the whole day. I just acted like there was no pressure."
Finishing third was Ayesha Champagnie of Jamaica at 157-5 as the lead trio bettered the old meet standard of 156-2 set by State College's Lauren Kenney in 2011.
In looking ahead at the rest of her season and even longer throws, Wiltrout has definite goals and some wishes, too.
“I definitely want to get a day where it's not windy," she said. “I can't wait until that day.
“For the whole season, I don't really have a number. I definitely want to win states again. I definitely want to break the state record at states. I wanted to be over 160 today, that's what I wanted."
