Sister act shines at Zone 4 track: updated with multiple winners and link to results
It was a good day for the Quinn sisters Thursday at the Niagara Region High School Athletic Association Zone 4 track and field meet at Welland Centennial.
Competing in the junior girls 1,500 metres, Thea Quinn placed first following closely in second place by her twin Zoe. The 16-year-olds smashed their personal bets in the process. Later in the day, the sisters placed first and second in the 3,000 metres as well
“Today was the most spectacular environmental conditions that we could hope for. It’s not too cold, it’s not too hot, it’s not windy and it’s not raining. They smacked their PBs today,” Niagara Olympic Club coach Sharon Stewart.
The sisters had different explanations for why their 1,500-metre PBs were crushed Thursday. Thea bested her PB by seven or eight seconds and she credited her training partners and the coaching of Stewart.
“I am super thankful for it because my PB from before is not where it should be. I am glad to have crossed that barrier. I could never get under 5:10 and I think today was a 5:01.”
Zoe, who surpassed her PB by six or seven seconds, credited Thea.
“My sister took the race out really hard and I think that is why I PB’d at the end.”
There were no thoughts about crossing the finish line together Thursday.
“We’ve done that before but once the meets matter, all bets are off. That’s for sure,” Thea said.
The sisters are central to each other’s running careers.
“There is a definite connection. It is super fun and it is awesome to have a built-in training partner. I love it so much but it does get a little competitive sometimes, I won’t lie but it brings out the best in us,” Thea said. “Every race is back and forth and back and forth and I don’t think we would be where we are with each of us pushing the other.”
Zoe can’t imagine running without her twin.
“We are best friends and training partners which is nice. She always pushes me to do my best and I think that I do the same for her,” she said. “It’s important for me because if I didn’t have her out there, I don’t think I would be reaching my full potential.”
Zoe downplays the need for each to beat each other.
“It used to be more important but we have come to accept that one of us will beat the other one on a certain day and it is not a big deal.”
The Quinns started running in Grade 2 and joined the Niagara Olympic Club when they were in Grade 7.
“We had a really good elementary school coach (Debbie Gula) that started us off,” Zoe said.
The Grade 10 students at Sir Winston Churchill feel they are make progress as runners.
“I have become more confident and I have been able to believe in myself,” Thea said. “It’s super important because you are not going to have good races if you are not confident.”
Zoe echoes that comment.
“I have gotten more confident with my running. The workouts have gotten harder but I am more committed to it.”
Both girls weren’t in bed early Wednesday night as they were taking part in junior prom.
Thea felt it gave her a boost.
“I was on a high, for sure. It was super fun and I carried the good energy into the race today.”
Zoe admitted she had a bit of concern about going to junior prom before the zone championships.
“We were worried that we were going to party a little too hard the night before but I sat down a lot at junior prom. I couldn’t risk not doing well today.”
The Quinns, who were part of Churchill’s junior girls team that placed fourth at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations cross country championships last fall, have high hopes for this track season.
“We want to qualify for OFSAA but continue to work as a team. We usually pace each other during races and we have to continue doing our runs together and not skip practice,” Zoe said.
Last year, Thea and Zoe were fourth and fifth in the novice girls 1,500 metres at the South Regionals and Zoe was second in the 3,000 metres. Zoe placed 22nd at OFSAA in the 3,000 metres.
“I didn’t have a great OFSAA last year but it was a learning experience and I am hoping to get back there this year to have a better performance,” Thea said.
Their performances are the result of hard work.
“They are great runners because they are dedicated to their training and there’s a good feistiness in them,” Stewart said. “They are building confidence as runners and that comes from good workouts and great races.”
Other multiple girls winners from Thursday’s Zone 4 meet were: Heritage Christian’s Mackenzie Kikkert, novice girls 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres; Eden’s Kate Taylor, novice girls 800 metres and 1,500 metres; West Niagara’s Riley Kirk, novice girls 80- and 300-metre hurdles; West Niagara’s Katelyn Jones, novice girls high jump and long jump; Heritage Christian’s Olivia Vandyk, novice girls discus and shot put; Eden’s Lily-Christian Phillips, junior girls 80- and 300-metre hurdles; Heritage Christian’s Hannah Vyn, junior girls long jump and triple jump; West Niagara’s Coco Van Nynatten, junior girls shot put, discus and javelin; Eden’s Chloe DiLalla, senior girls 1,500 metres and 3,000 metres; Governor’s Simcoe’s Sheridan McCready, senior girls 100-metre and 400-metre hurdles; Smithville Christian’s Mikayla May, senior girls 200 metres, triple jump and long jump; and, St. Catharines Collegiate’s Cassie Kemp, girls 100 and 800 metres intellectually imp.
Other multiple boys winners from Thursday’s Zone 4 meet were: Sir Winston’s Barron Walker, novice men’s 800 and 1,500 metres; Governor Simcoe’s Josh Sicat, novice men’s long jump, 100 metres, Sir Winston’s Adetunji Ojo junior men’s 100 and 200 metres; Governor Simcoe’s Maddix Adam 100 metres, 300 metre hurdles; West Niagara’s Braeden Brouwer senior men’s 110 metre hurdles, 100 and 200 metres; Eden’s Chad Thorpe senior men’s 400 metres, 400 metre hurdles; Thorold’s Owen Haywood senior men’s long jump, men’s triple jump; Governor Simcoe’s Fenway Breckels senior men’s 2,000 metre steeplechase, 3,000 metres.
Full results: https://www.nrhsaa.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Zone-4-Results-2023.pdf
