More titles for Thorold Elite
Thorold Elite’s Evan Blake won gold in the long jump and 300 metres at the Athletics Ontario under-14 championship. STEVEN FIFE PHOTO.
The Thorold Elite Track Club continues to flex its muscles at provincial meets.
One weekend after taking the team title at the Athletics Ontario under-16 championship, the club won its second straight Athletics Ontario under-14 team championship this past weekend as well as the team crown at the under-10 outdoor championship title at the Athletics Ontario Rising Stars Festival in Hamilton. The Hamilton event attracted athletes aged 13 and under from west of Toronto all the way to the Windsor corridor. Athletics Ontario decided to split the province into three regions, minimizing travel distance for the younger competitors.
Helping Thorold Elite capture the under-14 crown were: Kyjiah Slowley, gold in girls high jump and long jump; Evan Blake, gold in long jump and 300 metres; Ayla Laing, gold in 800-metre racewalk, silver in 1200 metres and bronze in high jump; Phoenix Young-Lazo, gold in 150 metres and silver in 80 metres; Kaidyn Fournier-Phillips, gold in boys shot put; Lucy Young, gold in girls javelin; Leah Orr, silver in girls javelin; Charlotte Ciceran, bronze in girls shot put; and, under-14 girls 4×100-metre relay, bronze.
Thorold Elite medalists in the under-12 division were: Aaliyah Henry, gold in girls 150 metres; Zander Van Nynatten, gold in boys shot put; Olivia Froemchen, bronze in girls shot put; Sophia Tzvetkov, bronze in 150 metres; and, girls 4×100-metre relay, silver.
Thorold Elite athletes earning medals to help their team win the under-10 crown were: Maddox Young-Lazo, gold in boys 60 metres and 150 metres; Jasmine Henry, gold in girls 60 metres and 150 metres; Abigail Dupuis, gold in girls 600 metres and silver in 150 metres; and Leah Sandel, gold in girls shot put.
Other Niagara athletes earning medals at the Rising Stars Festival were: Niagara Olympic Club’s Amara Hamilton, silver in under-12 girls 600 metres; Niagara Olympic Club’s Leah Krimble, bronze in under-14 girls 800 metres; Niagara Olympic Club’s Josee Regala, bronze in under-14 girls long jump; and, a gold medal for the Niagara Olympic Club’s under-14 girls 4×400-metre relay.
The Thorold Elite team titles are the end result of the club’s developmental programs available for all ages.
“We have what we call our Future Track Stars group which is from four years old to 11 years old and then we have a bunch of 12 and 13 year-olds who start to integrate in with the older group, but distances and intensity are modified to be age appropriate,” Thorold Elite coach Steven Fife said.
Half of the club’s more than 100 athletes are under the age of 14 and Fife is happy to see more and more younger kids coming out and becoming introduced to the sport, even if they don’t all compete right away.
“A lot of times we find great track athletes but they’ve already been involved in another sport for a number of years and so the families are reluctant to try something different at that point,” he said. “Track is the foundation of all athletics so it is something that every athlete can benefit from.
“Many kids enjoy doing track in the spring and they might be the best in their school or the best in the region and they think that is it but it’s important for them to realize that there is more out there in the club circuit and that there are some major meets and provincial championships.”
Thorold Elite will participate in one more provincial championship next weekend in Brampton, before transitioning to cross country for the long-distance squad. The rest of the groups will begin a strength and conditioning phase.
