GLEN CARBON - The region will likely never see a caliber distance runner like Elena Rybak, the senior Father McGivney phenom, come ever again.
Rybak has won three state championships in the 1,600-meter run and appears poised for a fourth in the spring of 2025.
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Father McGivney Catholic High School's cross country team is set to reach its typical heights in 2024, with head coach Jim Helton expressing high expectations for standout athlete Rybak. Coach Helton praised Rybak's performance and work ethic, highlighting her as one of the most talented athletes he has ever coached.
Rybak runs with grace and style and is as hard a worker as any athlete in the McGivney School. She also is a starter on the Father McGivney girls' soccer team.
"We always knew she was a tremendous talent," Helton said. "Putting it together her junior year for a team state championship was nice and refreshing. She worked so hard and is a great teammate."
When Rybak isn't running in track and field or at cross-country meets, she is always near her teammates, cheering and constantly encouraging them to succeed.
Rybak won the 800-meter event in the spring, finishing in 2:10 and beating the defending state champion Ahry Comer by two seconds. Rybak narrowly missed the state record by just one second.
In addition to her success in the 800, Rybak secured her third consecutive state title in the 1600 meters, finishing with a personal best and school record time of 4:54.02. Her tactical prowess was evident as she pulled away from the competition on the final lap.
Rybak was not the only standout performer for Father McGivney. Junior Lilly Gilbertson also set personal bests and school records, finishing fourth in both the 400 meters (56.2) and the 200 meters (24.99). Gilbertson's performance, alongside her contributions in the 4 x 400 meters and 4 x 800 relay, and Mia Range in the high jump helped secure valuable points for the team.
The 4 x 400 relay team, consisting of Gilbertson, senior Kaitlyn Hatley, junior Jane Cummins, and Rybak, clocked in at 3:56.97, just 0.07 seconds shy of the state record. This strong finish capped off a championship performance for Father McGivney, with the team accumulating 56.5 points — 11 points ahead of the second-place team.
Coach Helton emphasized the collective effort, noting contributions from seniors Kaitlyn Hatley, Jane Cummins, Lilly Gilbertson, Caroline Rakers, Mia Range, and Elena Rybak. "It was a true TEAM effort," Helton said. "The team went into the season expecting big things out of themselves, and it came to fruition at EIU on Big Blue."
With such a successful track season behind them, the Father McGivney girls cross-country team, led by Coach Helton and anchored by Rybak, looks forward to building on their achievements in the upcoming year.
Elena Rybak will never be forgotten in the distance running annals of the Metro East.
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