Younger runners from our community were in action last Thursday, as the Nanaimo District Elementary School Cross-Country Championships were held at the Rotary Bowl track facility. Approximately 450 athletes took part in the annual event, which was coordinated by Doug English and made possible by a large group of volunteers.
Tyke runners (born 2006-07) ran a 1.5-kilometre distance. In the girls’ race, Haley Martin from Pleasant Valley captured first place. Gaby Zanette from Cinnabar Valley was the runner-up, with Chyvonne Borsa of Departure Bay taking third. Others in the top ten were Mountain View’s Sarah Cuddeford, Avery Henderson of Hammond Bay, Emily Boyda from North Cedar, Woodbank’s Liv Collins, Lydia Paris and Brea Gilette from Hammond Bay and Seaview’s Annika Lundmand.
The tyke boys’ title went to Evan Young of Mountain View, who finished ahead of Hammond Bay’s Alexander Bennett and Mountain View’s Kynan Shurniak. Just behind them were Julien Wylie from Park Avenue, Keenan DeWit of Forest Park and Socha Therrien from Hammond Bay. Next came McGirr runner Noah Jayawickreme, Damien Fraser from Park Avenue, Matthew Wilson of Coal Tyee and Mountain View’s Gavin Gunderson.
For peewee (born 2004-05) athletes, the route measured two kilometres. First to finish in the girls’ race was Keira Murphy from Mountain View. In second was Keira Martin of Pauline Haarer, followed by Cinnabar Valley’s Sebryn Wear. North Cedar runner Victoria Dauphney was next, then Pauline Haarer teammates Danika Vogels and Sophia Ledingham. Rounding out the top ten were Mountain View’s Annalise Lam and Meadow Work, Samantha Jones from McGirr and Nyah De Pol from Seaview.
Cinnabar Valley competitor Jayden Watson was fastest in the peewee boys’ race, beating out Marcus Saywell and Gus Johnson from Mountain View. Nate Paris from Hammond Bay was next, ahead of Mountain View runners Brett Merner and Dylan Barbarie. Then came Jake Putz from Cinnabar Valley, Quarterway’s Griffin Neilsen-Sendey, Luke Lavery from Cilaire and Kaleb Nykwist from Uplands Park.
Bantam (born 2002-03) runners in the cross-country championships raced 2.5 kilometres. Olivia Lundman from Seaview took first place in the girls’ division. Kate Cameron of Quarterway was second and Ava Alexander from Hammond Bay third. Then it was Miranda Lam of Mountain View, Seaview’s Ella Ostrikoff and Courtney Ingram from Randerson Ridge. Other runners in the top ten were Hammond Bay’s Kyra Gillette, Julia Noon from Ladysmith Intermediate, Bianca Parcher from Gabriola and Claire Krynowski of Randerson Ridge.
The bantam boys’ race resulted in a district title for Gage Zanette from Cinnabar Valley, who finished ahead of Alex McLauchlan from Randerson Ridge. Rock City runners Jake Seaman and Ryan Seaman were third and fourth, with Kaya Saunders from Cinnabar Valley fifth. Also in the top ten were Kai Louie of Uplands Park, McGirr’s Bruno Sanderson, Logan Steel from Ladysmith Intermediate, Brett Schlitz of Cinnabar Valley and Stewart Stephen representing Rutherford.
Points from all the races counted toward team standings. The results gave Mountain View Elementary the Barry Saunders Memorial Trophy for top large school. Hammond Bay was second and McGirr third. For smaller schools, the Tom Krall Trophy went to Pauline Haarer, with Cilaire placing second and Cinnabar Valley third.
Whatever your sport, a reminder in closing to play your hardest, play fair, and show good sportsmanship.