The pandemic didn’t break the stride of Oak Bay or Lambrick Park. The first sa国际传媒 high school track and field championships since 2019 were held over the weekend in Langley and it was just like old times for the Bays and Lions.
Oak Bay won the Triple-A overall team championship for the 12th time since 2002 and the girls’ team title for the 11th time. Lambrick Park, a past power especially in field events, won the boys’ Double-A team championship.
That was no easy feat considering the provincial high school championship meet featured more than 2,400 athletes and 425 coaches from 330 schools with 120 officials overseeing 124 events. The competitions took place on the striking, bright blue running track at McLeod Athletic Park and its infield, which will also host the Canadian trials next month for the 2022 world championships in Eugene, Oregon, and 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
“It was a great feeling to finally be back out there since the Grade 12s had not competed since they were in Grade 9,” said Lambrick Park co-coach Tom Turnbull.
Those thoughts were echoed by the Oak Bay contingent.
“There was a buzz and excitement about being back and you could feel it around the track,” said Bays athletic director Rich Fast, who is also an assistant coach with the team.
The Oak Bay dynasty, which also has five second-place overall team finishes since 2001 to go with the 12 overall team championships since 2002, continued unabated after the pandemic break, but it took energy and commitment to keep it going.
“It felt like starting from scratch after two years,” said Fast.
“But this program is really positive and comes with great expectations because of the culture created in the past. There was a will to keep the tradition alive. There is stability and expectation, with teachers in the building committed to put in the volunteer time for the student-athletes and for the program.”
The breakout performer for Oak Bay was Grade 11 student Ellie McDowell-Mitchell with gold medals in the girls’ individual 400 metres and also the 4x400-metre relay and bronze in the 200 metres.
Lambrick Park edged out fellow-Island institution St. Michaels University School by one point for the boys’ Double-A title thanks to the yeoman effort of versatile Aidan Grew, who earned points for the Lions in five events ranging from the sprints to the steeplechase.
“For us winning, it came down to the final events in the relays,” said Turnbull.
Several Olympians have competed in the sa国际传媒 high school championships from the likes of Greg Joy, Scott Neilson, Michael Mason, Phil Olsen, Dave Steen, Dylan Armstrong, Shane Niemi, Jeff Schiebler to Debbie Scott, Elizabeth Gleadle and Alyx Treasure. The watch is always on for the potential next ones.
The individual Island star in the junior events was Alexa Dow from Frances Kelsey Secondary, who ripped through the meet by winning the girls’ 800 metres and 1,500 metres in record times, beating the old 800 metre standard by 1.86 seconds and the previous 1,500 metre mark by six seconds. Dow’s times would have won both the Grade 11-12 senior races in the 800 and 1,500 metres.
“I was so focused that I did not see the times until after the races and was surprised and pleased to see them,” said Dow, who is in Grade 9.
Dow’s championship 1,500-metre time also broke the sa国际传媒 U-16 provincial record of 4:26.33, set 27 years ago by two-time Olympian Malindi Elmore.
Dow is coached in the Prairie Inn Harriers club by two-time Olympic Games marathoner Bruce Deacon.
“Bruce teaches me so much about how to prepare for races,” said Dow. “I want to take my running to the highest level.”
The emerging Cowichan Valley product is ranked No. 1 in sa国际传媒 for the 800 metres in U-16 girls and will be racing in the elite women’s class in the Victoria Track Classic on Thursday at Centennial Stadium and will compete in the sa国际传媒 Summer Games next month in Prince George.
