Hershey Provincials will be memorable for two reasons, not the least of which was that it was the first meet of the outdoor season where we did not freeze and/or get wet. It was a tad windy for personal best performances, but at least it was sunny and warm. It was most memorable however because of the results achieved by the first-year midget, bantam and peewee athletes who traveled to Edmonton to compete – Erika, Molly, Shaniah, Jasper, Alex Matsuoka, Hanna Nyssen, Yohan, Adeem, Matthew, Maddie and Denise. Among them, these eleven JD athletes brought home a total of twelve medals – 9 silver medals (Erika 4x100m; Molly 4x100m; Maddie 4x100m; Denise 4x100m; Alex 4x100m; Shaniah 1600m; Jasper standing long jump; Hanna 100m and 200m), and 3 bronze medals (Matthew 4x100m; Erika 200m; Adeem ball throw). The athletes, parents and coaches also enjoyed a lovely team dinner in Edmonton on Friday evening.
The 4x100m were up first, and the relay runners got the team off to an excellent start.
- The 14-15 years women’s team of Molly to Erika to Maddie to Denise came second to a strong team from Edmonton but beat their rivals from Calgary, a combo of Warriors and Calgary Olympic athletes, who had bettered them at the Calgary Hershey meet. Molly got the team off to a great start with a very fast first leg, and then passed off to Erika, who continued to build a lead. Maddie, the only bantam on the team, held her own against the older athletes and passed off to Denise with enough of a lead that Denise was able to hold off a very strong and determined Warrior athlete. It was a very impressive race by the girls, with great speed (54.53s), fluid exchanges and much determination/grit. They earned their silver medals!
The 1st exchange in the women’s 13-14yrs relay: Molly to Erika – a close race right from the start! - Next came the 11-12 years girls’ relay, and bantam Alex teamed up with three Cheetah athletes – Zoe Lueders, Georgia Crockford (Jasper’s sister) and Kjirsti Sellers (Anna’s sister). It was a very successful combination, with these young athletes finishing 2nd of eight teams in an impressive 1:03.07s to capture the silver medal.
4x100m silver medallists 11-12 years: Alex Zoe Georgia & Kjirsti on the podium - Not to be outdone by the girls, the 11-12 boys’ team of Matthew to Cheetah athletes James Vincett, Thomas Emerson and Alex McLean also ran a very strong race, finishing 3rd of six teams in 1:06.18s to capture the bronze medal.
Matthew receiving the baton from Thomas
Up next after the relays was Shaniah in the 13-14years 1600m, and she added to the medal haul. Shaniah finished just off her personal best in 5:48.04s to place 2nd of five athletes and capture the silver medal. Shaniah also just missed the medals in the 800m, where she finished 4th of eleven athletes in 2:37.23s.
Our youngest competitor, Hanna, enjoyed an outstanding weekend, capturing the silver medals in both the girls’ 11-12 years 100m and 200m. In the 100m, Hanna finished 2nd of forty-one athletes in a personal best 14.74s. In the 200m, Hanna placed 2nd of thirty athletes in 30.58s – a personal best of more than half a second. Demonstrating what a talented all-round track and field athlete she is, Hanna also just missed the medals in the standing long jump, where she cleared a 38cm personal best 1.97m to finish 4th of thirty-nine athletes.
In the 13-14 years 200m, Erika captured the bronze medal, finishing 3rd of twenty athletes in 28.15s.
Alex finished just out of the medals in the 200m, placing 5th of thirty athletes in 31.64s.
Jasper was one of only three 2001 athletes to qualify for the 100m final, where she finished 8th overall of seventeen athletes. Jasper also placed an impressive 9th of twenty athletes in the 200m, finishing ahead of several of the older athletes.
In addition to her silver medal in the 4x100m relay, Molly enjoyed some great results in her individual events, finishing 6th of seventeen athletes in the 100m and 6th of twenty athletes in the 200m.
With an impressive kick to the finish, Matthew placed 4th of twenty athletes in the 11-12 years 800m, finishing just off his personal best in 2:40.09s.
Not all of the team’s success came on the track.
- Despite being one of the younger athletes in the 13-14 years age category, Jasper captured the silver medal in the standing long jump, where she cleared 2.10m to finish 2nd of fourteen athletes.
- Adeem certainly rose to the occasion in the 13-14 years ball throw, where he added an impressive 8.37m to his PB to finish 3rd of nine athletes and capture the bronze medal with a throw of 55.96m.
Adeem on the podium for ball throw - Yohan just missed the medals in the 13-14 years standing long jump, where he cleared 2.34m to finish 4th of twelve athletes.
- Erika just missed the medals in the ball throw, where she threw the softball 34.53m, a personal best of almost a metre, to finish 4th of seven athletes.
- Alex added an impressive 3.22m to her PB in the ball throw to finish 15th of twenty-five athletes.
Well done athletes! Some very impressive results!
