Editor's note: This article has been edited to correct errors in athletes' placements, times, and distances. The original story included times, distances, and placements from an incorrect source. We apologize for this error.
A considerable cohort of student-athletes represented Airdrie at the Alberta Schools Athletic Association’s (ASAA) provincial high-school track and field championships this past weekend.
More than a dozen of the city’s student-athletes were in Medicine Hat June 3 and 4 to run, throw, and jump against the best of the best in Alberta’s final high-school track meet of the 2022 school year.
George McDougall High School track coach Steve MacLean said it was a positive experience for the Mustangs athletes to attend the provincial meet. With five athletes competing, George McDougall was the most represented Airdrie school.
“We had eight who were supposed to go,” said MacLean, who took over the coaching baton from long-time Mustangs track and field coach Ryan Haggarty for this season. “Pretty crappy news, but [one of our Grade 10 athletes] had appendicitis just before the event so had to pull out. A couple others had other commitments they couldn’t shake. But we had five compete and it was a lot of fun.”
One of the Mustangs’ top performers of the weekend was multi-event athlete Kiera MacDonald, who placed in the top 10 in three of her events. MacDonald finished eighth in the Grade 11 women’s long jump, sixth in the high jump and fifth in the 80-metre hurdles.
“I think she was a bit nervous but she’s a fantastic athlete,” MacLean said.
MacDonald also filled in as the third runner in George McDougall’s Grade 11 women’s 4x100-metre relay team, helping the team finish seventh with a time of 55.72 seconds.
“With our 4x100, we had a girl who couldn’t go because she had a baseball commitment…so Kiera was awesome and stepped in to do the 4x100,” MacLean said.
Another member of that relay team who fared well at provincials was Amelia Smolinski, who in addition to running anchor in the 4x100-metre relay finished fifth in the one-kilogram discus with a best distance of 24.05 metres.
According to MacLean, Smolinski is a competitive hockey player who was new to track this season but was able to use her natural athleticism to succeed in both her running and throws events.
“I said to her, ‘You’re actually fifth in the province,’ so that’s pretty awesome for never having thrown discus before,” MacLean said.
“It’s awesome to see the smile on their face when they’re like, ‘Holy cow, I’m actually good at this!’”
The other two members of the Mustangs' relay team were Tianna Reimer, who also placed 12th in the long jump, and Sydney McLain.
Senior George McDougall athletes who competed at provincials included sprinter Jacob Lysak, who placed fourth in the senior men’s 100-metre sprint thanks to a top time of 12.21 seconds, and Anika Keller, who finished 15th in the senior women’s prelims for the 80-metre hurdles.
Airdrie Christian Academy sent four athletes to provincials. Anase Okumo finished third in the junior women's triple jump; throws athlete Nathaniel Dykxhoorn finished fifth in the Grade 11 men’s javelin, Josiah Raguindin ran in the Grade 11 men’s 100-metre hurdles and finished 13th in his prelim, and Chloe Thomas finished 10th in the open women’s pentathlon.
From W.H. Croxford, Kirana Neven competed in the junior women's one-kg discus, finishing 12th with a distance of 18.09 metres.
The sole Bert Church High School student-athlete to attend provincials this season was long-distance runner Willem Grant. The Grade 12 runner – who is committed to the NCAA's Western Colorado University cross-country and track team next fall – competed in the senior men's 1500-metre and 3000-metre, finishing eighth and sixth, respectively.
No track athletes from St. Martin de Porres High School competed at provincials this year.
For a full record of results, visit bit.ly/3xd6wJg
