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Casper native Lauren Taubert takes third at National Championships 5%
By Tommy Culkin4%
7/30/2026, 6:10:31 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 17 faulty reasoning types, including Appeal to Emotion, Indoctrination, and Post Hoc (False Cause), with Optimism Bias as the most egregious example at 10.2% saturation with 92 hits. Analysis detected 528 faulty-reasoning hits from 906 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 19% and a BS Rank of 5% (21,328 of 22,378 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 95.30% of the article peer group.
Casper native Lauren Taubert, left, poses with fellow medalists Timara Chapman, center, and Erin Marsh.
(Submitted Photo)
CASPER, Wyo. — This past weekend, Casper native Lauren Taubert faced off against some of the best track and field athletes in the world at the USA National Championships, competing in the heptathlon.
When all was said and done, she found herself on the winners’ podium with a bronze medal.
Taubert began taking part in track and field as a young child, but it was far from her only sport.
An athletic and sports-minded teen, she also competed in soccer, basketball and volleyball.
However, it was track that truly held her heart.
“I really enjoyed the other sports as well, but with track and field I think it was just that you’re going against yourself,” she said.
“You’re just trying to get your best mark, and it’s kind of all on you.”
As a Natrona County High School Mustang, Taubert was dominant.
She practically rewrote the NCHS record books, setting school records in 11 events.
She also broke the statewide records in the 300 meter hurdles and high jump, winning several state titles in the process.
That success led her to Kansas State University, where she continued to excel as a Wildcat.
While at Kansas State, Taubert earned multiple All-American honors and a 16 medals at the Big 12 Championships.
It was at Kansas State that Taubert met coach Cliff Rovelto, who continues to be her mentor in the sport to this day.
She credits him for much of her growth as an athlete, saying he’s helped her improve her technique, athleticism and mentality.
“His programming is just amazing,” Taubert said.
“My strength and speed has improved and I’m a lot more powerful now.
And he’s also helped me get better at the way I think about and approach competing, too.
He’s helped my times get a lot better and I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for him, that’s for sure.”
After seeing steady improvement in her first two seasons, Taubert took a big leap forward during her junior campaign, though that season was ultimately cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taubert entered her senior season with high expectations but ended in disappointment due to a serious knee injury in the conference championships.
That injury took three years for Taubert to fully recover from, and involved multiple surgeries and countless grueling hours of training to return to full strength.
Taubert credits her family, coaches and doctors for helping her return from her injury.
But she also points to God and her faith for helping her through that time, as well as for her continued success.
“[My faith] is everything,” Taubert said.
“I run for Jesus, I compete for Jesus.
He’s blessed me with this gift and it’s why I do what I do.
He’s just honestly changed my life.
I definitely get all my courage and my strength from Him.
I lean on Him every second of my competitions.”
Now, Taubert says she hasn’t just gotten back to her previous performance level, but surpassed it.
(Gregorio Denny, Submitted Photo)
“I’m definitely in the best shape I’ve ever been in,” she said.
She qualified for the USA National Track & Field Championships, hosted July 23 and 24, with a strong showing at a meet in April.
Heading into the championships, Taubert said she was feeling confident.
Day 1 of the competition went well, beginning with a very strong showing in both the hurdles.
The high jump also went well, but Taubert said she was disappointed with her performance in the shot put, as she performed better in warm-ups than the actual competition.
Still, when all was said and done, she found herself solidly in fourth place at the end of the day.
On Day 2, Taubert was electric.
She shone in both the long jump and javelin throw, narrowly missing personal bests in both.
“We had a strong headwind in the long jump I was jumping into, but I was still really happy with how it went.
The long jump might have been a PR if it weren’t for that,” she said.
“Then the javelin was close to my best too.”
She finished the seven-sport competition strong in the 800-meter run, moving up into a medal-winning position in the process.
The third-place finish marks Taubert’s best showing in her six trips to the National Championships.
“It feels amazing,” she said of the accomplishment.
“This is something I’ve dedicated my life to, and to see these results, it’s a great feeling.”
Looking to the future, Taubert plans to take a one-month hiatus before resuming training in September.
When she returns to action, she’ll begin working to make the U.S.
World Championship team for 2027, before turning her attention towards making the Olympic team in 2028.
Taubert’s chance of making one or both teams is a strong one, as she is currently ranked No. 64 in the entire world in the women’s heptathlon.
“It’s been a dream of mine for so, so long to be an Olympian.
Now, everything is starting to become more of a reality,” she said.
“It’s definitely looking more and more like it is possible for me to make an Olympic or World team.
I’m going to give it all I have.
We’re going to give it all we have these next two years to get there.”
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