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South Surrey athletes on podium at Fraser Valley track championships

Athletes now prepare for BC High School Track and Field Championships, set for Kelowna
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Southridge School’s Maya Kobylanski leaps over a hurdle en route to a first-place finish in the senior girls 1,500-m steeplechase at Fraser Valley Championships. (Contributed photo)

B.C. High School Track and Field Championships are just a few weeks away, and more than a handful of South Surrey athletes are nearing peak form if recent results are to be believed.

Earlier this month at Langley’s MacLeod Park, athletes from across the city competed at Fraser Valley Track and Field Championships, snagging plenty of medals as they gear up for the main event – provincials, which this year are to be held in Kelowna.

In overall standings, south-end teams fared well. In senior girls standings, Earl Marriott Secondary and Southridge School finished third and fifth, respectively, while Sullivan Heights finished in a tie for 10th alongside Princess Margaret, while Semiahmoo was fourth in senior boys rankings. Cloverdale’s Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers tied for second in the junior boys standings – fellow Surrey school Pacific Academy was first – while Pacific Academy, Semiahmoo and Earl Marriott were second, fourth and eighth, respectively, in junior girls ranks. Semiahmoo’s Grade 8 girls team also finished second overall.

Team scores, of course, were fueled by plenty of podium-worthy individual performances.

Among them were Earl Marriott’s Olivia Van Ryswyk, who won gold in the senior girls pole vault with a final score of 3.2 metres, and Macey Michaud, who finished just behind her in second, with a final score of 2.9 m.

EMS junior Hanna Sobkowich, who won silver in the junior girls 400-m and bronze in the 200-m; Jeremiah Mackie, who won bronze in senior boys 3,000-m and finished just off the podium – in fourth – in both the 800- and 1,500-m runs; Micah Logie, who was third in the junior boys 1,500-m steeplechase and 3,000-m; and Grade 8 Hudson Irvine, who finished the multi-day competition with three silvers – in the 800-, 1,500- and 3,000-m events.

• READ ALSO: Surrey athletes on podium at 2018 B.C. track and field championships

Elgin Park Orca athletes also found themselves on the podium over the course of the event, which was held May 13-16. Emma Cobban won a silver medal in the junior girls 1,500-m steeplechase, while Grade 8 Benjamin Carr won gold in the boys high jump, with a winning leap of 1.65 m. Rounding out the EPS podium finishers was another Grade 8 athlete, Sophia Schulze, who won silver in the 100-m dash, clocking a time of 13.57 seconds.

The Southridge Storm, meanwhile, were led by runner Cayla Smith, who won gold in senior girls 400-m and silver in the 400-m hurdles; and fellow senior Maya Kobylanski, who also won two medals – gold in 1,500-m steeplechase and bronze in the 3,000-m run.

George Kordas also found the podium for the South Surrey private school, placing third in the junior boys pole vault.

There were plenty of medal winners from Semiahmoo Secondary, too, led by Izzy Forsyth, who won gold in both junior girls discus and shot put; and young runner Mackenzie Hack, who was first in both the Grade 8 girls 1,500- and 3,000-m races, while also adding a bronze in javelin.

Michael Miller also had strong showing, winning gold in senior boys 1,500-m while placing second in the 3,000 and third in the 800.

Other Totem winners included Cayden Arnold, who was second in junior boys pole vault; Erin Geerlof, who won bronze in senior girls triple jump; Aneel Gillan, who won silver in senior boys pole vault and bronze in shot put; and Keaton Lees, who won bronze in senior boys long jump.

At the Grade 8 level, Alex Lee placed second in boys discus while Leah Potashova won two silvers – in the Grade 8 girls 1,500- and 3,000-m events.

Holy Cross student Emma de Boer – a Cloverdale resident and member of the South Surrey-based Ocean Athletics track club – also came home with a gold medal, after finishing first in the junior girls high jump competition.

Two more Ocean Athletics athletes, South Delta Secondary siblings Jacob and Madelyn Bonikowsky, also fared well at the Valley meet. Madelyn won gold in both the junior girls 800- and 1,500-m races while adding bronze in the 400-m, and Jacob won bronze in the junior boys 800-m.

Lord Tweedsmuir was led by junior thrower Michael Ogbeiwi, who won triple gold. He was first in junior boys discus, shot put and hammer throw.

Tyler Wilson also won gold, in senior boys 1,500-m race walk; Danielle Waller was first in the senior girls 200-m; and Taya Suttill won bronze in senior girls 1,500-m race walk. Ryan Pederson also added a gold medal, in senior boys long jump; Adam Pederson won gold in junior boys 100-m hurdles; and Taylor Kleinschmidt was third in both the Grade 8 girls 100-m dash and long jump.

Athletes will now advance to provincials, set for Kelowna’s Apple Bowl May 30-June 1.



sports@peacearchnews.com

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