Blue Bears thrower a natural (updated with multiple winners and link to results)

Owen Robins is clearly a quick learner.

The 15-year-old, Grade 10 student at Port Colborne High School has been participating in shot put and discus for only about one year and is already making waves to the point where he is being considered for the Commonwealth Games in August. 

“He has come a huge way because a year ago he hadn’t even picked up a shot put or a discus at all,” Thorold Elite coach Steven Fife said. 

Robins had a strong showing Tuesday at the Niagara Regional High School Athletic Association Zone 3 track and field meet at Centennial, placing first in both events in the junior boys category.

Robins attained personal bests in both, with a throw of 15.92 metres in shot put and a heave of 51.92 metres in the discus, the first time he broke the 50-metre barrier.

Not bad, especially taking into account he was considering not even participating. 

“I woke up today and didn’t feel well,” he said. “I was sick and wasn’t sure if I was going to compete or not but my dad told me it’s one chance. If you don’t compete now, you’re out, so I came and felt good winning both.”

Robins credits fellow Port High student Caleb Grover, a noteworthy basketball and track star of his own, for getting him into the sport.

“He asked me to come to practice and he took me under his wing I guess and taught me,” Robins said. “All winter we were weight lifting together and I went from bench pressing 125 pounds to 250 pounds thanks to technique and drills.”

Robins was virtually new to the both last year but still managed to qualify for the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) championships.

“I think OFSAA last year was a good experience for him,” Fife said. “He didn’t do as well as he would have liked but this is setting him up hopefully to be a medalist at OFSAA and then hopefully at whatever national competition he chooses. He has a couple of different options now, potentially even being on a Canadian National Team.”

Robins has high hopes for OFSAA.

“Two gold OFSAA medals,” he smiled. “This year, I know the discus and shot put competition is going to be steep but it will be fun.

Fife said Robins is the total package.

“It’s his strength and his work ethic. He’s somebody that works harder than most and even when we don’t have practice he’ll get in reps by himself,” he said. 

Robins recently received an invitation to declare his intentions for the 2023 Commonwealth Games which are slated to be held in August in Trinidad and Tobago.

“I checked my e-mail one day and it was there,” he said. “To compete for Team Canada would be pretty cool.”

The top four individuals and top four relay teams from Tuesday’s meet advance to the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association (SOSSA) championship meet which will be held Wednesday, May 25 and Thursday, May 26 at Centennial. The top five individuals and top five relay teams from SOSSA qualify for the South Regionals June 1 and 2 in Brampton. 

The OFSSA championships are June 8-10 in Ottawa.

Other multiple men’s winners from Tuesday’s Zone 3 meet were: Niagara Christian College’s Imisi Ajiboye, novice men’s 100 and 200 metres; Centennial’s Owen Chase, novice men’s 800 and 1,500 metres; E.L. Crossley’s Graeme Macdonald, novice men’s long jump triple jump; E.L. Crossley’s Jackson Sider junior men’s 400 and 800 metres; E.L. Crossley’s Keon Darling, junior men’s long jump, 100 metres; Port Colborne’s Owin Robins, junior men’s shot put, discus; Port Colborne’s Jaden Dunlop, senior men’s 100 and 200 metres; Port Colborne’s Samuel Tonnies, senior men’s 400 and 800 metres; Port Colborne’s Caleb Grover, senior men’s shot put, discus; E.L. Crossley’s Samuel Jeffery, senior men’s 110 metre hurdles, javelin.

Full results: https://www.nrhsaa.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Zone-3-Results-

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