High jump competitors went over and above at high school track and field provincials.
Winners set the bar high, as Joel Della Siega of Elgin Park Secondary won the senior boys’ event with a two-metre leap and New Westminster’s Nina Schultz won the senior girls’ event with a 1.70m leap.
For Della Siega, it was his third-straight provincial championship in high jump.
“It feels pretty good,” he said. “It’s really nice just having that reassurance and it’s great for your confidence.”
His winning jump was five centimetres short of his personal best, but he was satisfied after a long, hot day of jumping.
“The biggest thing is just mental toughness,” he said. “You’re out here for a long time. It’s an absolute marathon. You’ve just got to stay calm, remember to do your thing.”
He loved the atmosphere at the high jump setup at Rotary Bowl stadium, with fans watching from the hill, clapping for him and supporting him over his final jumps.
Notably, Della Siega trains on the mainland with Mike Mason, an Olympic high jumper from Nanoose Bay.
“It’s incredible to not only train with him and watch how incredibly technically perfect he is, but as well as how he is off the track,” Della Siega said.
Runner-up in senior boys’ high jump was Michael Lambert of Mission, who jumped 1.95m. Third place went to Nick Mickleberry of Oak Bay who jumped 1.90m.
For more coverage of the B.C. High School Track and Field Championships, please visit www.nanaimobulletin.com/sports or follow @BulletinSports on Twitter. For schedule information, please click this link.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
Nina Schultz of #NewWestminster wins sr girls' high jump with 1.70m. Kyla Gytenbeek of #Courtenay second… #highjump pic.twitter.com/a1NfspSIoI
— Greg Sakaki (@BulletinSports) June 3, 2016