Maella Hodgson is looking to continue her upward climb of success that she has been building upon season after season. Coming off of a busy track season where she showed her range by placing third in both the 800m and 3000m and sixth in the 400m at the 2023 BC High School Provincial Championships, Hodgson is putting no limits on herself this cross country season.
I caught up with Hodgson about her start in running, her training group at Ocean Athletics and what she is hoping to achieve this fall.
Personal Bests
400m: 59.24
800m: 2:10
1500m: 4:23
3000m: 9:45
Career Accolades
2023 BC High School Senior 800m / 3000m Bronze Medalist
2022 Legion Nationals Set Meet Record in the 1500m
2022 BC High School Cross Country Championships Fourth Place
2022 ACXC U18 Fourth Place
Hodgson didn't jump into track and field straight away. When she was younger she took her time to figure out what sports to involve herself in."I was originally a soccer player, but it was too early for me to only be specializing in one sport. I hadn't really tried any others, besides the sports I played at school. That is when my mom told my brother and I that we should explore our options. So we joined Ocean Athletics and have loved it ever since!"
Through the years Hodgson continued to master her craft of running and now in her senior year of high school, she is a force to be reckoned with, having gained valuable experience both in the trails and on the track. In 2022 she dropped six seconds off her 1500m personal best to break the Legion Nationals record. Additionally, she placed fourth in the U18 division of the Athletics Canada Cross Country Championships, contributing to a Team BC Gold Medal.
"I was really proud of my performance. ACXC was exciting because I was lucky enough to have the experience of being on another provincial team after Legions. I didn't place as well as I did on the track, but I was still really happy with the outcome because throughout the cross country season I struggled with a lot of illness and this was the first race where I felt good."
Hodgson continued this upward trend during the 2023 track and field season where she qualified for and raced in three individual events at the BC High School Championships.