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Runners, throwers lead way at Fraser Valley meet

Middle distance runners and throwers led the medal charge for South Surrey schools through the first two days at Fraser Valley Track and Field Championships, held earlier this week at Coquitlam's Town Centre Stadium.

Elgin Park Secondary's Christina Juert won a pair of medals – gold in senior girls discus, with a toss of 32.86 metres, and silver in senior girls hammer throw, with her distance of 39.62 m, just shy of Seaquam's Serena Graf's throw of 40.92 m.

Another Elgin Park student, Ryan Sommer, added to his school's medal collection with two silver medals, in shot put and hammer throw.

The three-day meet wrapped up Wednesday, with qualifying athletes moving on to provincials next month.

The success in the throwing pits was matched on the track by the Peninsula's slew of middle-distance runners – many of whom are among the best in the country.

In the senior boys 800-m, Fleetwood Park's Keffri Neal clocked a gold-medal time of 1:50.72 to edge White Rock Christian's Sean Keane by two-hundredths of a second, and both runners crushed the Fraser Valley record by more than three seconds.

Earl Marriott's Deon Clifford rounded out the podium, finishing third in 1:58.99.

In the other marquee distance event, the senior boys 3,000-m, Semiahmoo's Jack Williams finished first, less than one second faster than Clifford and two ticks quicker than Elgin Park's Jake Bruchet.

Elsewhere on the track, Semiahmoo's Vanessa Sjoberg was second in the senior girls 200-m and Elgin's Maddy Kerr placed fourth; EMS runner Melanie Oster took home a silver medal in the senior girls 3,000-m; Semi's Alison Williams and Earl Marriott's Tessa Davis were first and second, respectively, in the junior girls 800-m, and Marriott's Ally Ginther was second in junior girls 3,000-m.

In field events, Earl Marriott's Kathryn Van Ryswyk topped the field in junior girls pole vault, after clearing 2.70 m – 10 cm more than second-place finisher Jessica Tan of Fraser Heights.

In senior boys pole vault, Van Ryswyk's brother, Riley, won bronze, clearing three metres. Riley was also fourth in long jump.

In the Grade 8 competition, Semi's Lexy Reimer picked up a bronze medal in the 100-m dash and a silver in the 200-m, while Totem teammate Chelsea Ribiero won both the girls 800-m and 3,000-m races.

Another Totem, Katherine Reiss, won gold in the Grade 8 girls triple jump, leaping a distance of 9.53 m, and Elgin Park's Jake Hanna took top spot in the Grade 8 boys 200-m.

Peninsula relay teams also fared well in Coquitlam. In the junior girls 4x400 event, Semi's team of Ribeiro, Isabella Koch, Sydney Roach and Hannah Roach won gold.

In the senior girls 4x400 relay, Semi was second, followed by EMS in third. Earl Marriott's senior boys 4x400 relay team also scooped a medal, placing second behind Surrey Christian.

For full results, visit www.fraservalleytrack.com