Erin Tomschin appeared to be halfway to a medal.

Then she was cut off, stepped on the inside rail and sprained her ankle, all but ending her podium hopes at the Class 3 state meet in Jefferson City.

Tomschin finished the 3,200-meter 16th in 12 minutes, 56.05 seconds, despite hobbling her final four laps.

“She came back around and she was crying,” Wright City Head Coach Sue Wright said. “I asked her if she can go one more lap, and she is tough. She told me she was going to finish. I don’t know if she would have medaled or not, but she was right there.”

Tomschin was in the middle of the pack through her first mile, and a top-six finish appeared to be within reach.

After the injury, she just wanted to finish.

“I told her after the race that the character you have is going to carry you much further than whatever happens at state, because you’re tough and you don’t quit,” Wright said.

Fatima’s Brianna Haller won the race in 11:20.12.

Tomschin’s personal-best time of 12:28.35 would have put her in 11th place, although Wright believes she was on a faster pace Friday afternoon.

Tomschin graduates as a two-time state qualifier.

She ran in the 1,600 and 3,200 last spring, as well.

“How she finished that race is going to carry her more in life, and that’s nice to know that,” Wright said. “I can’t wait to be retired and be able to see her run.”