Bierling deals personal-best shot to close tough but productive year
SHIPPENSBURG » Hannah Bierling left the shot put area at Shippensburg University with a smile and a personal best throw of 35 feet, 2¼ inches, which was good enough for 16th place in the girls Class 3A portion of the PIAA Track & Field Championships Friday.
A medal would have been the ideal way to close out the season, but that was not meant to be as Payden Montana of Berwick won the shot with a meet record throw of 51-0. But considering what the junior from Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast has been through this year, a personal best and a top 20 finish in the state is quite an accomplishment.
Bierling turned an ankle while running in the Catholic League cross country championships in October, which set her back in her training for the indoor season. Then in February, she began having intense, debilitating headaches. At times, the headaches were so severe that Bierling was unable to attend school. It would be mid-May, around the time of the Catholic League outdoor championships, before Bierling would find out the cause of her constant headaches.
“It’s called acute confusional migraines,” said her mother and throws coach, Kelsey Bierling. The rare form of migraines primarily affects children and teenagers.
“I dragged her to the doctor because I figured she probably wasn’t eating right, probably dehydrated and not sleeping enough,” Kelsey Bierling said. “I wanted the doctor to yell at her because it doesn’t always work for mom.”
An MRI ruled out any serious affliction such as a tumor. It took a trip to the A.I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington to find out the cause of her constant ailment.
“We ended up there because CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) was a six-week wait,” Kelsey Bierling said. “They got us in at duPont the next day. Their doctors and clinicians were fantastic.”
The severe symptoms can mimic a stroke, her mother said, where she suffers an aura, or warning consisting of visual disturbances, numbness and speech difficulties leading up to the migraine. Once diagnosed, the next step was to figure out which medication worked best. “I’m on the fourth one,” she said. The migraines have not stopped Bierling from having a successful year. She was the Catholic League indoor champ in the shot and the league shot put and discus champ in the outdoor season. Bierling also earned All-Catholic honors in swimming.
“At this point, I’ve just learned to deal with it,” Hannah Bierling said.
Her goal in Shippensburg was to top the 35-foot mark in the shot and she did so on her final attempt, but it was her second PR of the day. She threw 34-8 on her first try.
“I’ve hit it a lot in practice,” Bierling said of topping 35 feet. “I just haven’t been able to do it in a meet. I’m glad I finally got it.”
Bierling wound up second among the four Delco throwers in the event. Strath Haven’s Jordan Brown was 14th overall (37-3¼). Cecilia Katcavage of Haverford placed 20th (34-7¼) and Symphonie Blalock of Springfield was 22nd (34-4½).
“For her to come back and keep training through the migraines and after she rolled her ankle in cross country to keep going and end up here at states, I’m really proud of her,” Kelsey Bierling said. “Her dedication to it (comes from doing) what she loves and something she’s loved doing since the fourth grade.”
“It’s interesting trying to balance everything between doctors, school and classes,” Bierling said. “I’m in mostly honors and AP classes at school and trying to balance that with all the sports I do has been an experience.”