Jade Hartlage didn’t fall in love with track right away.The Christian Educational Consortium senior first joined in eighth grade because she had always been known as "the fast kid." Once she started competing and seeing success, that confidence grew into something bigger."I started track in eighth grade," Hartlage said. "And honestly, that’s not when I fell in love with it. I started it because I’ve always been the fast kid. So I joined the track team, and I excelled well. I got good feedback."That encouragement has turned into elite production.Hartlage is making a strong case as one of Kentucky’s top all-around athletes. She ranks among the state leaders in the 100, 200 and 400 meters, while also excelling in the long jump and high jump.Her rise has not come without adversity. Last summer, Hartlage sprained her ankle at nationals, a setback she said was difficult both physically and mentally. But she has responded by pushing through and emerging as one of the state’s most accomplished competitors."It’s taken a lot of ups and downs," Hartlage said. "I sprained my ankle last summer at the end of the year at nationals, and that was honestly really mentally defeating. But I’ve been able to just break out from that. So to be able to be a leader in the state is truly a blessing."As for her favorite event, the answer changes.Right now, Hartlage says the 400 meters sits at the top of the list, alongside the long jump."My favorite event, I feel like it depends on the day," she said. "Right now it’s definitely the 400. That may be a shocker because the 400 is such a tough mental event. But when you do win and when you do well in the 400, I feel like you get such a rush from it. So right now, the 400 or long jump is definitely my top two favorite events."Despite her success, Hartlage cannot compete for a KHSAA state championship because she attends a hybrid school that includes homeschooling.She said that reality used to bother her, especially because the state meet brings together Kentucky’s best competition. But her perspective has changed as she looks ahead to the next level."It used to bother me for sure, just because it’s the state meet — that’s when all the best competition is there," Hartlage said. "But I am committed to the University of Kentucky, and I realize that you don’t need to be a state champion to go to the next level."Her mother and coach, Gina Renfro, believes Hartlage’s path is unfolding exactly as it should."God’s got a plan, and I think it’s starting to reveal itself," Renfro said. "So yes, it is a little bit frustrating, but on the same hand, I would just encourage any athlete to just follow their path, make it their own and see what happens."State title or not, Hartlage’s performances have already made a statement.Now, her future points to the University of Kentucky, a program she believes can help her reach even greater heights. The Wildcats’ track and field tradition — including four gold medals won by former Kentucky athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics — only reinforced that belief."The program is just a top program in the nation, and they build Olympians," Hartlage said. "They take college athletes not only through college but to the next level. And that was a big thing for me."Renfro agrees."Jade is a kid who wants to be great," she said. "And I think Kentucky’s the best place for her."