Triple SOSSA gold for St. Francis runner
Mason Petrucci made a spectacular debut at this week’s Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association track and field championships at the Niagara Olympic Club in St. Catharines.
Competing in the midget boys division, the Grade 9 student at St. Francis won SOSSA gold in the 800 metres, 1,500 metres and 300-metre hurdles, recording personal best times in the first two events.
Petrucci, who was a proverbial winner in the 400 metres and 800 metres at the elementary school level, wasn’t expecting to mine a handful of gold medals at his first SOSSA meet.
“I aim my goals high and I wanted to win and I’m glad that it became possible,” the 15-year-old St. Catharines resident said. “After I won the first one in the 1,500, I was feeling good and when I came to the 800 I was ready and I gave it that kick to win.”
He won the 1,500 metres Wednesday and the 800 metres and hurdles Thursday.
Petrucci trains three or four times a week with the Thorold Elite Track Club.
“He is a soccer player who has earned the right to call himself a runner,” Thorold coach Steve Fife said. “Track was something he used to do just for fun and he was willing to make a leap and take a more competitive approach to track while still being committed to soccer.”
Petrucci uses track to help his soccer career.
“It keeps me fit for soccer and track and field is a great sport for athletic people,” he said. “Some people say that track is boring and tiring but I find it fun.”
On the soccer pitch, Petrucci is a member of Team Ontario and Hamilton’s squad in the Ontario Provincial Development League.
“If soccer doesn’t work, I am going to try for a track and field or cross country scholarship, but I won’t have to decide until later on.”
He feels he has made good progress as a runner in the past year.
“Coach Fife has taught me a lot since I have been there,” said the midget boys silver medalist at last fall’s SOSSA cross country championships.
He has specific goals in mind for this track and field season.
“For hurdles, I am looking to maybe threaten for a (Ontario Federation of Secondary Schools Associations) medal and for the other events I’m looking at keeping my own goals for personal bests.”
At SOSSA, he ran 2:11.69 in the 800 metres and 4:35 in the 1,500 metres. He has run a faster time indoors in the 800 metres.
Fife feels Petrucci has all the attributes to succeed at running.
“He is willing to try new things, he is quick and he has great endurance,” he said. “He is using the hurdles as a stepping stone to becoming a steeplechaser and he gets it.
“He puts in the work, he runs and practises hard and you can see that he does the exact same thing when he races.”
In addition to primary high school sponsors. Johnny Rocco’s and Mick and Angelo’s, BPSN’s coverage of the track and field season is made possible with the support of the Niagara Olympic Club (https://nocrunners.com)
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