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Athletes get ready, get set, go

The Nanaimo Track and Field Club hosts the Elwood Wylie Memorial Track and Field Meet Saturday (May 25) and Sunday at Rotary Bowl stadium.
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Nanaimo Track and Field Club athlete Hayley Noshkin clears the rope during pole vault practice Thursday evening at Rotary Bowl stadium. The club hosts the Elwood Wylie Memorial Track and Field Meet on Saturday (May 25) and tomorrow.

Athletics can sometimes be an individual sport, but Nanaimo Track and Field Club members will be teaming up this weekend.

The club hosts its major annual event, the Elwood Wylie Memorial Track and Field Meet, Saturday (May 25) and Sunday at Rotary Bowl stadium.

Nanaimo athletes will bring team spirit to the track.

“They’re cheering on the other kids at the races; it is a great atmosphere for them,” said Tyler Heisterman, the club’s coach.

He ran with the Nanaimo club in his youth and said he made lifelong friendships at the track.

“It’s one thing to come out here and run, be fit, do all that, but the thing that’s going to last a lifetime will be their friends and the memories of the good times that they’ve had,” Heisterman said.

Among the good times, there will also be fast times. The athletes are working toward major meets later this season, and many are also tuning up for the school district meet in early June.

“We’re getting into the thicker part of the season so they’re going to want some good performances,” Heisterman said.

There will be many locals in contention in their events. Alyssa Mousseau is ranked first in B.C. in the 400-metre distance and in the 800m, Amy Morris is ranked first in the 1,200m and 2,000m, Rachel Jerome is ranked first in long jump, Jason Clare, first in pole vault and Sunil Rasaiah, first in hurdles. Among the club's younger athletes, Madison Heisterman is ranked first over the 800m and 1,200m distances, Kintan Rasaiah is ranked first in the 60m dash and Ethan Katzberg, first in the javelin.

Anyone is welcome to participate at the meet this weekend, whether they’re a track club member or not. There will be on-site registration and for about $18 a day, youths can sign up for as many events as they can handle.

ON TRACK … Saturday’s events go from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday’s events are from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. … The weekend’s main event, the 100-metre dash, will take place Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and at 2:20 p.m. that day there will be 4x100m relay races. The 200m race is set for Sunday at 11 a.m. High jump and long jump will be held continally both days.

sports@nanaimobulletin.com