Each of Whitehorse’s three secondary schools were represented at the Nike High School Grand Prix on Saturday at the University of Toronto.
All three schools have a medal to show for it.
Vanier’s Anna Rivard, F.H. Collins’ Odette Rivard and Porter Creek Secondary’s Brody Smith each won medals at the inaugural Canada-wide invitational track meet. The event featured over 250 athletes from 10 provinces and territories.
“The kids they were competing against have already competed at a number of track and field meets this spring already,” said coach Don White. “Most of them are training on rubber tracks, most of them have experience running with spikes.
“This is the first meet for our kids this year, most of them have never run on spikes before, and it was plus 24 (Celsius).
“So everyone is sporting a sunburn, even if they’re not sporting a medal.”
Anna captured a silver, Odette a bronze and Smith a bronze, all in the 4x100 metre relay races on teams randomly selected from the provinces and territories.
“One of the organizers had the names of all the kids who wanted to go into the relays in a hat and just pulled until he had all the teams pulled out,” said White.
Anna also made the final of the 100-metre sprint, finishing fifth, and placed sixth in the girls’ long jump.
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Porter Creek’s Scott Peterson squeezed into boys’ 100-metre sprint final, qualifying in eighth, finishing in sixth. He also placed fourth in the 400-metre sprint.
A total of nine Whitehorse athletes and two coaches, including F.H. Collins’ Christine Kirk, attended the meet.
F.H. Collins’ Marten Sealy placed seventh in the boys’ 400-metre sprint, 12th in the long jump and 13th in the 200-metre sprint.
In addition to her medal, Odette came 11th in the girls’ 400-metre and 17th in the 200-metre sprint.
Porter Creek’s Aidan Bradley raced to 18th in the boys’ 400-metre, 22nd in the 200-metre and 24th in 100-metre.
F.H. Collins’ Cory Baxter reached 21st in girls’ 400-metre, 23rd in the 200-metre and 29th in the 100-metre.
Vanier’s Micah McKeage secured 18th in the boys’ long jump and 23rd in the 800-metre.
F.H. Collins’ Emily Oetlie took 32nd in the 100-metre sprint.
“In December the information came to us from Toronto ... asking for information to be sent out and the information was sent to the YSAA (Yukon Schools Athletic Association) reps here,” said Marc Senecal, president of the Yukon Schools Athletic Association. “I received X number of applicants and of those applicants they were asked to send a formal application, which included a little essay. Those who completed that application were asked to represent the Yukon.
“EET (Ecole Emilie Tremblay) was also involved and they withdrew their two candidates.”
Contact Tom Patrick at tomp@yukon-news.com