1 May 2023
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KSNT) – College track and field athletes have plenty of hurdles to jump over – some physical, some mental – but for Maddie Righter, her problems became larger.
“I was kind of okay with them telling me I was fine because it wasn’t that bad. But once it got to the point where I couldn’t walk or lay down comfortably, I just didn’t take no for an answer,” Righter said.
Righter’s teammates were finding success on the track, but she was feeling caged by health issues.
“To have athletic opportunities limited because of injury or illness. You know, when you’ve invested a lot of time is, it’s not fun for anybody,” K-State head track and field coach Cliff Rovelto said.
Righter felt a pain in her side in the fall of her junior year. Not long after, she felt a mass.
“I can’t do what I’m supposed to do here. I can’t train I can’t practice wasn’t going to class. So I knew something had to change. And I’m glad that I stood up for myself,” Righter said.
After months of doctors visits with no resolve, Righter had had enough.
“I texted our trainer said, ‘I need to go to the doctor,’ they again tried to tell me I was fine,” Righter said. “But I kind of just pushed back and said, ‘No, something is seriously wrong. I want to get more tests done.'”
The doctors found a ureteral obstruction in one of Righter’s kidneys, blocking the organ from doing its job, requiring removal.
“Honestly, I, the first thing that came to my mind was that, well, that may be the end of, unfortunately, an athletic career,” Rovelto said.
As Righter’s high jump numbers lowered, so did her mental health.
“I worked with our sports psychologist, I used to just get very anxious before practices to the point where I wouldn’t even want to be there,” Righter said. “And just through working with her and like being open with coach and like our trainers, and everyone, they’ve really helped me get more confident.”
In October of 2022, Righter received kidney removal surgery. January 2023, she was back in competition.
“It took a lot of work to keep training because it kind of almost made you think, like, what’s the point,” Righter said. “The first week back also just meant a lot to me, because I didn’t think I was going to be stepping foot on the track for at least a couple more months.”
In April, Righter competed in her first heptathlon.
“That was a very big accomplishment for me,” Righter said.