The success of Cochrane’s rising track star Elise Hagen continues to build momentum.
The 18-year-old is bound for the Canada Summer Games this August in St. John’s, N.L., where she’ll compete in the 400 metres for Team Alberta. She’s one of two local athletes named to the provincial squad. Two others are alternates.
After the Games, she’ll head to Dalhousie University in Halifax, where she’s been recruited to run for the Tigers while pursuing a science degree.
Hagen first got a taste of competitive track in Grade 9 and hasn’t looked back. The following year, she was encouraged to join the Cochrane High track team by head coach Esther Sieben. That same year, she also joined the Calgary Warriors athletics club, where Sieben is also a coach.
This year’s entire indoor and outdoor season has been geared toward qualifying for the Canada Summer Games. At the Caltaf Classic—a national qualifying meet—Hagen reached that goal in style.
“That’s where I had the opportunity to hit the Canada Summer Games standard. It was a very exciting meet for me,” she said.
She not only qualified, she dominated—winning gold in the 400m with a personal best of 57.3 seconds.
Her new goal for the Games? Shaving that time down to 55.9.
“I’m hoping to peak a bit more before the Canada Games, so I’ve been working really hard to get my times down these past few weeks,” she said.
It was at the 2024 Bell Olympic Trials in Montréal where Hagen caught the eye of Dalhousie speed/power lead coach Timothy Brennan. A few days after competing at the U20 nationals, she received an email inviting her to visit the campus.
“I flew there for a visit last November and I just loved it,” said Hagen.
Dalhousie was one of several universities in Canada and the U.S. she explored before making her decision.
“It’s so beautiful there and everyone was so welcoming. It felt like a great environment where I could grow as an athlete. I had to take a lot of things into consideration, but at the end of the day, I think I’ve made the best choice.”
Having Sieben as her coach at the Canada Summer Games is a bonus for Hagen. The Hall of Fame coach and former elite athlete has played a pivotal role in her journey, as has her mother, who also competed in track and field.
“She’s been a big push for my improvement and my love for the sport. Her support and excitement surrounding my success has been such an inspiration to me,” said Hagen.
She capped off her high school track career with three more medals at provincials, adding to a haul that included three golds at divisionals and four more at the ASAA South Central zone championships.
At divisionals, she won the 100m, 200m and anchored the 4x400m relay. She skipped the 4x100m to conserve energy for an upcoming club meet with the Warriors.
At zones, she returned to anchor the 4x100m relay, leading her team to a first-place finish. She also repeated golds in the 100m, 200m and 4x400m.
At provincials, she earned silver in the 100m and 4x400m, and bronze in the 200m.
“I’m grateful to have collected nine provincial medals over my high school career,” she said.
Cochrane High is well known for its elite track and field program. This year, the team earned its 42nd division championship and successfully defended both its long-standing ASAA zone and provincial titles.
While running is Hagen’s focus, her athletic pursuits have extended beyond the track. She was named Cochrane High’s Senior Girls Athlete of the Year largely for her achievements in track but also for her involvement in other sports.
Hagen served as one of the captains of the Cochrane Cobras varsity girls soccer team during a rebuilding year following the graduation of several senior players in 2024. She helped to anchor the defence and was honoured with the team’s leadership award.
In badminton, her season was cut short when her doubles partner fell ill during divisionals, but she says it was still a strong campaign for the team, with several teammates stepping up with strong performances.
She also suited up for the mixed curling team, made up mostly of first-time players, including herself. Despite their inexperience, they reached the bronze-medal match at divisionals, falling just short but proud of how far they’d come.
For Hagen, the success she’s experienced on the track is only part of what she values most.
“I think a big thing for me is just some of the incredible friendships I’ve made through track,” she said. “It’s been amazing getting to meet so many different athletes from around Alberta. I feel like I’ve built strong connections—not just with teammates, but with competitors, too.
“It’s been such a great thing to have those connections now as I head into university. I just know I’ll have a support base with athletes from across Canada and beyond.”
We wish Elise all the best at the Summer Games—and in the exciting chapters to come.