Discovery Canyon’s Lauren Gale is hoping to prove she can still be the sprinter that was the marvel of the state’s track and field community two years ago.

Maybe even better.

Thirteen months after going under the knife for hip surgery, and with most of the long, grueling therapy months behind her, Gale enters her senior season in hopes of regaining her standing atop the state podium.

The hip is doing OK these days, Gale says. She credits all the long and strenuous work over her recovery period, including joining the school’s swim team over the winter.

Said of the brief switch from super sprinter to JV swimmer, “It was definitely a mix of cardio and just trying to build up leg strength without pounding on my joints and getting injuries. It was good to get me back into shape without killing myself.”

It was one of the many steps during recovery.

The Canadian, who moved to Colorado in 2015, had been the “next best thing” at state in 2016 – even catching the eye of former Air Academy standout and current Oregon distance runner Katie Rainsberger, who quickly deemed her a star.

There, Gale won four golds, including the 100, 200 and 400 in a span of 2 ½ hours.

“I think what she does is amazing,” Rainsberger, the other 4A girls’ four-event winner of the meet, said then. “I’m excited to see what she does.”

The hype was halted only months later.

X-rays found Gale had been running with a torn labrum in her hip. In graphic detail, doctors told Gale a bone in her hip had rubbed wrong on the labrum for years until the cartilage wore out and tore.

That’s probably the reason she felt so sore after races, they told her. Likely the cause of her limp after each one of her state runs.

Surgery was recommended.

“Yeah, not fun,” Gale laughed.

And so went her junior season, which began with Gale unable to walk after the surgery in January. Then came months of physical therapy.

That April, she pushed herself to return to the track three weeks before state and qualified in three events over two meets. There, Gale again turned heads, finishing second in the 200, second in the sprint medley and fourth in the 100.

She was in pain and admittedly sore after each run.

“That’s the kind of girl she is,” Discovery canyon track coach Adam Felkey said. “You put a challenge in front of her and she’s going to take it. To have her even come back early, it was totally unexpected.”

Gale will have a chance to close out her high school career on top. The five-time school record holder in track currently has the fastest time in the state in the 200 (24.98) and is second in Class 4A in the 100 (12.45).

Gold is her end goal.

“I think going back to state the second time after my surgery was a good choice mentally just because people beat me,” Gale said. “I was like, ‘I need to get my butt in gear and train harder.’

“I don’t enjoy losing. Everyone says you learn from losing – you do, but I’d like to win. I think it’s fun.”

Gale and the Thunder will take part in the Runner’s Roost Invitational in Fort Collins on Friday.