Myer runner back in action
A serious injury may have been a blessing in disguise for Siera Warkentin.
The 16-year-old, Grade 11 student at A.N. Myer broke a bone in her ankle last March, forcing her to miss all of the track season and most of her soccer season.
Now that she is back competing, Warkentin seems better than ever.
Warkentin has set personal bests in both the 100 (12.9) and 200-metre (27.0) sprints this season qualifying her in both events for the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association (SOSSA) track and field meet this week.
“When I started recovering I was doing therapy to get my fitness back,” Warkentin said Wednesday at Centennial where she placed second with a time of 13.05 in the senior girls 100-metre sprint. “I wanted to come back to see how I would compete against everybody, especially the older girls.”
Warkentin injured the ankle in practice with her Ontario U17 provincial team.
“I jumped in the air and got pushed and sprained and cracked the top bone. I was out for about three months,” she said.
She admitted it wasn’t an easy road back.
“It took a lot mentally to come back but I have a lot of passion for running and soccer,” she said. “I knew if I worked hard every day I could come back and do what I love doing.
“I definitely appreciate it a lot more. I wasn’t able to do anything. I had to watch from the sidelines. It was really hard to watch.”
She credits her mother, Tammy Warkentin, for helping with her recovery.
“I was hard on myself and I really didn’t think I would get back but my mom really pushed me. She’s my best friend,” Siera Warkentin said.
Siera Warkentin is slated to run in the 200-metre race Thursday at SOSSA and well as in the 4 x 100 relay.
“When I was in elementary school I always wanted to make it to SOSSA,” she said. “Definitely my main focus is the 100. I just want try and do the best to my ability and beat my personal best.”
Myer soccer and track coach Joanne Thomson is a big fan of Warkentin.
“She’s a big asset on the soccer field because she’s so quick so I was happy she was running track,” Thomson said.
Thomson feels Siera Warkentin’s soccer experience translates to the track.
“Especially the short sprints because when they’re on the soccer field they’re short sprinting all the time, especially as sweeper. She has to come out of nowhere and beat the strikers,” Thomson said.
Despite playing soccer at the provincial level, Siera Warkentin said she is leaning toward track at the post-secondary level.
“Niagara College and Brock both reached out for soccer but Niagara College said I could do both,” she said. “Depends on what I want to be but I would definitely like to go for track. I love soccer but I like competing for myself too.”
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