Gorham High senior Andrew Farr won the 200 and 400 meters at the Class A indoor track state championships in February. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer
Andrew Farr’s achievements during the indoor track season – including two victories and a state record at the Class A state championships – were a step above anyone else in Maine this.
But Farr’s greatest accomplishment may have been how he responded after a race he didn’t run.
When Farr lined up for the 55-meter dash final at the Class A state meet as the top seed, after running a personal-best time of 6.5 seconds in the trials, he was aiming for the state record of 6.45.
His thoughts drifted to how he missed two track seasons because of the pandemic and how the state record was within his reach. Then, for the first time in high school, Farr bolted before the gun went off and was disqualified.
Farr quickly shook off that disappointment, however. The Gorham High senior won the 400 in a Class A record time of 49.54, erasing the mark of 49.78 set by Hany Ramadan of Deering High in 2015. He also prevailed in the 200, winning in 22.48.
For his dominance in the sprint events and for his resiliency, Farr is the Varsity Maine boys’ indoor track Athlete of the Year.
Farr finished the season with the fastest times in Maine in the 55 (6.50), 200 (22.48), and 400 (49.54). He also was the runner-up in the 300 at the New England championships (35.40).
His coach was most impressed by how Farr dealt with his disqualification at the state meet.
“He really showed the colors of his character. He really shined a positive light on our sport that day,” said Gorham Coach Jason Tanguay.
“My son is in middle school and has looked up to Andrew for a long time. I can assure you, he was very aware of what happened. To watch a young man grab his blocks and quietly walk away … I don’t know if many high school kids would control themselves like that.”
In reality, Farr was trying not to cry.
“I didn’t shed tears, but I was holding them back,” he said. “I knew I had to keep it in because there was a lot more to the day. I had to take that adversity and use it as fuel.”
His older brother, Ryan, who runs for St. Joseph’s College and went to watch his brother’s meet, helped. He gave Andrew the same pep talk his brother gave Ryan when he got sick with COVID this winter couldn’t compete. The exact same pep talk.
Ryan Farr showed his younger brother a text he had sent to him earlier that season.
“He made me read it. He said, ‘Now it applies to you.’ It helped get me in the right headspace,” Farr said.
The text said: “Everything happens for a reason… Setbacks allow you to deeply feel the feelings that come with running… When you fall, you do as you’ve always done, and get back up. Embrace the devastation because it’s part of the process, but know your time will come.”
“I was so angry about the 55, but I was able to use that anger in a positive way,” Farr said.
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