Hosted by the Nanaimo Track and Field Club and B.C. Athletics, the prestigious 2015 B.C. Cross Country Championships were held last Saturday at Beban Park. Ten races of varying lengths for different age groups were held during the day. Weather conditions were ideal and the results featured some fine performances by local athletes…
The first race of the day was a six-kilometre route for junior, senior and masters women. A total of 57 runners took part, including Nanaimo Track and Field Club member Jenaya Pynn. Pynn finished in 21:14, good for seventh in the junior women’s division. The result will likely earn her a spot on the Team B.C. squad that will compete at nationals in Kingston, Ont., on Nov. 28.
Also likely heading to nationals will be Joel DeSchiffart. The former Nanatimo track club athlete, now competing for Trinity Western University, finished sixth in the senior men’s 8km race with a time of 22:54. Nanaimo brothers Thomas and Peter Oxland, racing for UVic, had times of 24:31 and 25:07.
The race for boys and girls age 9 was a 1.5km distance. Champion for the boys was Kynan Shurniak representing Nanaimo Track and Field Club with a winning time of 5:16. For the girls, Nanaimo’s Katelyn Putz won bronze with a 5:48 finish.
In the 2km race for age 11 boys, NTFC members Jayden Watson and Gus Johnson captured first and third respectively, with times of 7:28 and 7:33.
The distance was 3km for 12-13 year-olds. Karly Dickenson of NTFC earned bronze in the F13 category with her finish in 10:16, while teammate Olivia Lundman took silver in the F12 race in 10:53.
A third-place bronze medal went to Nanaimo Track and Field Club runner Madison Heisterman for her time of 9:45 in the 3km race for midget girls.
In the 4km youth girls’ event, NTFC’s Alyssa Mousseau was fourth in 14:13 to qualify for Team B.C. Amy Morris’s sixth-place finish in 14:39 will also keep her in contention for a spot.
Whatever your sport, a reminder in closing to play your hardest, play fair, and show good sportsmanship.