When Kalilwa was a freshman, she was still relatively new to the country and to Lewiston. She would later have to overcome being left homeless because of a fire that destroyed everything. Any potential as an athlete was clouded by the uncertainties of life.

But then she started to see the light. She started to improve and the potential she had never contemplated before began to fill her mind and drive her passion.

“I started getting better and there were people out there supporting me,” Kalilwa said.

She ended her career as a Blue Devil this spring with an outstanding outdoor track season. She won the long jump at the Class A state meet and took second in the triple jump. She was eighth and fifth, respectively, in those events at the New England meet, and set numerous school and state records along the way.

“My goal was to just go big and finish out my season,” Kalilwa said. “It wasn’t much. I didn’t have a really specific goal, but I was just going for school records and to do my best. I just wanted to get better from last year.”

Kalilwa, who is from Congo, won the states in the long jump her junior year with a leap of 17 feet, 5 inches. She was fifth in the triple at 34-2.5.

Those were great efforts, but not good enough for Kalilwa. So she worked hard to improve her senior year. She trained regularly in the weight room and established consistency. Coming off a strong indoor season, which featured two third-place finishes and a fourth at the state meet, she also boosted her confidence.

“I knew I was going to do it,” Kalilwa said. “I was like ‘I can do this.’ There was a lot of help from my coaches. A lot of support from Coach (Carolyn) Court and Coach (Paul) Soracco.”

Kalilwa praises what she learned from the current Lewiston coaching staff, which came in her junior year. Their presence her last two seasons has been a significant factor. It showed in her results.

She won the long jump in the KVAC meet and finished second in the triple and third in the 100. In the state meet, her coaches suggested she take the 100 off and put her attention on the jumping events and the relay.

“I focused on my jumping because I’m more of a jumper,” Kalilwa said. “This year was cool because I was able to focus on my jumping and the relay. It was pretty well planned.”

She won the long jump with a distance of 18-03.75. That was not only a school record but a Class A record as well.

In the triple jump, she was second with a jump of 36-05.75. She was also on the 4×100 relay team that won the Class A states three years in a row, setting a school record of 50.35 seconds.

Kalilwa’s improvement even surprised her.

 “When I broke the state record, it was something I was going after, but there’s been big improvement from last year,” she said.

At the New England meet in New Britain, Connecticut, she finished fifth in the triple jump and was eighth in the long jump. Her 37-1.5  in the triple was her personal best and a new Lewiston record.

“It was worth it, but it was hard going down because it was a long drive,” Kalilwa said. “I just wanted to do better. It was a long ride. Five hours, and that killed me.”

She’ll now pursue a nursing degree at the University of Southern Maine. She’ll also run track there.

“Honestly, it wasn’t what I thought it would be,”Kalilwa said of her high school career. “It ended up being better than I thought it would be.”

kmills@sunjournal.com

2016 Sun Journal All-Region Girls’ Track and Field

FIRST TEAM

Adela Kalilwa, Lewiston, Sr., LJ, TJ

Jenny Martin, Lewiston, Jr., hurdles, 200

Kayla Allen, Lewiston, Jr., RW

Britanee Nouchanthavong, Edward Little, Jr., javelin

Lauren Sterling, Mtn. Valley, Jr., hurdles

Kaity Killam, Telstar, Fr., 100, 200, LJ

Bree Sautter, Lisbon, Sr., 400

Tori Spencer, Monmouth, Jr., racewalk

Clara Phillips, Gray-NG, Sr., discus, shot

Sabrina Daoud, Dirigo, Sr., 200, 400

Katie Ferrara, Edward Little, Sr., hurdles, PV

Chase Collier, Lisbon, Jr., hurdles

Ella Brown, St. Dom’s, Jr., 1,600, 3,200

Emily Grandahl, Monmouth, So., hurdles

Emily White, Spruce Mtn., Fr., RW

Anna Beaudet, Edward Little, Sr., 100, 200

SECOND TEAM

Morgan Knowlton, Edward Little, Sr., RW, shot

Maighread Laliberte, Oxford Hills, So., disc, shot

Lauren Berube, Edward Little, So., PV

Moira Burgess, Monmouth, So., RW

Sydney Douglass, Lisbon, So., RW

Emily Billings, Mtn. Valley, Jr., 400, 200

Sidney Wilson, Monmouth, Sr., javelin

Elesha Pratt, Poland, Jr., hurdles

Leah Desjardins, Poland., Sr., 100

Gabrielle Martineau, Gray-NG, Sr., 100, 200

Kierstin Leclerc, Leavitt, So., javelin

Bri Fortin, Gray-NG, Sr., PV

Emma MacCallum, Gray-NG, So., shot

Ashley Pratt, Leavitt, Sr., PV, TJ

Emily Dawkins, Gray-NG, Sr., discus

Mersadie Dulac, Lewiston, Sr., pole, vault

Copy the Story Link