One Nanaimo athlete is the fastest walker and her teammates are among the best in running and jumping. Many of the city's top young athletes represented their high schools Thursday at the Vancouver Island Track and Field Championships at the University of Victoria's Centennial Stadium.
Katelynn Ramage of Nanaimo District Secondary School is Nanaimo's only Island champion in senior competition this year, as she captured the 1,500-metre race walk by a remarkable margin of more than 40 seconds.
Results from the high school track and field championships include:
Senior girls - Maggie Hoult, Nanaimo Christian School, second, discus, 33.64 metres; Leigh Richardson, Nanaimo District, third, high jump, 1.45m; Rebecca Bassett, NDSS, third, 800m, 2:24.37, second, 1,500m, 4:49.82, second, 3,000m, 10:35.04; Carly O'Sullivan, NDSS, third, 1,500m, 4:50.21, third, 1,500m steeplechase, 5:18.23; Marita DeSchiffart, NCS, second, 1,500m steeplechase, 5:11.55; Katelynn Ramage, NDSS, first, 1,500m race walk, 7:04.69.
Senior boys - Brandon Bonnetplume, John Barsby, second, high jump, 1.80m; Sean McKenzie, Dover Bay, second, 200m, 23.73, second, 400m, 51.79; Joel DeSchiffart, NCS, 2,000m steeplechase, 6:24.55.