Scipio thrilled with bronze
Maeva Scipio has come a long way in a short period of time.
The 14-year-old Franco-Niagara student went from being not sure if she would be able to compete this year to winning a medal at OFSAA.
The Welland native ran a personal best time of 46.76 to take home the bronze in the novice girls 300-metre hurdles at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations meet in Windsor earlier this month.
“For someone who was not even going to do high school track this year, to see her come away with an OFSAA medal is a great end to that chapter of her track story,” Thorold Elite coach Steven Fife said. “We will have to see what Grade 10 brings.”
Scipio, who also placed fifth in the 80-metre hurdles at OFSAA, was thrilled with her performance.
“I wanted a medal for at least one of them but I didn’t know if it was possible,” she said. “I was really happy.”
Scipio has the distinction of winning the first OFSAA medal for her school.
“A lot of people thought I was going to do well so it was kind of scary,” she said. “I was really happy. It was fun and everyone was congratulating me.”
Scipio chalks up her success to hard work.
“It was definitely the training I had because I was ready. When I was going into the finals for the 300 hurdles I was first so I thought it was possible.”
Scipio was happy she was able to more than hold her own against the top talent in the province.
“The first two girls were really, really good and the rest of the girls were really tight,” she said. “Now you now you’re actually capable of winning.”
Scipio, who captured first place in both the 300 and 80 at the South Regional Track and Field meet to qualify for OFSAA, wasn’t sure she was going to compete because of her intentions to switch schools and didn’t want to lose a year of eligibility under Ontario Federation of School Athletics Association’s transfer policy.
But Fife persuaded Scipio to compete and the results have spoken for themselves.
“Watching her hurdle is a sight to behold,” Fife said. “Very polished, very rhythmic, and very graceful. It is almost a form of art when someone does it really well and she does.”
Scipio took to the hurdles right away.
“My high school coach suggested to see if I liked it. I used to do gymnastics so I had co-ordination so I was good and just continued with it,” she said. “You just have to be confident and know you can get over them.”
Scipio said a big key to success is to not let a fall or setback linger.
“You just get back up and do it again so you don’t get blocked right away.”
Scipio has continued to improve since OFSAA, running a big personal best in the 300-metre sprint and the 200-metre hurdles.
“Some of the distances are different in the club system compared to the school system and we are looking forward to seeing how she stacks up at Provincials and Nationals,” Fife said.
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