Thorold Elite dominate again
Thorold Elite Track Club did it again, winning the Under-14, Under-12, and Overall Rising Stars (Under-8, Under-10, and Under-12 Combined) provincial titles last weekend at the Athletics Ontario U14 and Rising Stars Indoor Championships at the Toronto Track and Field Centre. With previous Under-16 and Under-18 team titles earlier this indoor season, this completed a sweep of all youth age categories for the local club.
“We have really built a lot of depth in each of these age groups and put Niagara on the map as we continue to show that track and field is a viable athletic option for kids and it’s not just something they do for a month in school in the spring,” Thorold Elite founder and head coach Steven Fife said.
Leading the way on the local medal haul was Dax Fortune. The 10-year-old who is in the younger year of the Under-12 age division took home gold in the 300 metres, silver in the 150 metre, silver in the 60 metre Hurdles, and gold as part of the Thorold Elite U12 Boys 4×200 metre relay along with Dhenali Anderson, Graydon Berardi, and Levi Tierney.
Also mining gold were Jack Burdon in the Under-10 Boys 1,000 metre; Joe Burdon in the Under-8 Boys Long Jump; Sanaa Chesney in the Under-14 Girls 300 metre; Leah Sandel in the Under-14 Girls Shot put; Connor Shaw in the Under-14 Boys 60 metre Hurdles and 300 metres; Levi Tierney in the Under-12 Boys Long Jump; Aszlyn Weaver in the Under-14 Girls 800 metre Racewalk; Thorold Elite’s Under-10 Boys 4×200 metre Relay consisting of Jack Burdon, Joe Burdon, Winston Brown, and Dalton Huibers; Thorold Elite’s Under-14 Girls 4×200 metre Relay consisting of Aszlyn Weaver, Sanaa Chesney, Lylah O’Quinn, and Grace Mather; and Thorold Elite’s Under-14 Boys 4×800 metre Relay consisting of Luke Simpson, Grayson Bolibruck, Riley Isherwood, and Max Woods.
Other silver medalists were Carter Audet in the Under-12 Boys 300 metre; Ambria Berardi in the Under-10 Girls 150 metre; Graydon Berardi in the Under-12 Boys 60 metre; Jack Burdon in the Under-10 Boys 600 metre; Lylah O’Quinn in the Under-14 Girls High Jump; Ethan Ramunno in the Under-12 Boys 600 metre and 1,000 metre; Connor Rogers in the Under-14 Boys High Jump; Max Woods in the Under-14 Boys 1200 m; Thorold Elite’s Under-14 Boys 4×200 m Relay consisting of Raelon Berardi, Wesley Dionne, Braxton Belzil, and Seth Suntz; and Kaelynn Folkes of Edge Sport in the Under-14 Girls 2,000 metre.
Local bronze medalists included Ben Bayne in the Under-14 Boys 2,000 metre; Ethan Ramunno in the Under-12 Boys 300; Connor Shaw in the Under-14 Boys 150 metre; Leon Valhalla in the Under-12 Boys 1,000 metre; Thorold Elite’s Under-12 Boys 4×200 metre Relay B Team consisting of Henry Lukacs, Wesley Heidman, Brayden Richardson, and Johnny Campigotto; and Thorold Elite’s Under-14 Girls 4×800 metre Relay consisting of Sabrina Guglielmi, Aszlyn Weaver, Jessica Brown, and Sophie Lukacs.
The Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, and Under-14 age categories are covered under the Junior Development division of Thorold Elite, which is headed by Jamie Burdon. Coaches in the Sprint program are Jesse Campigotto (Head Coach), Evelyna Foudova, and Joel Chesney. Coaches in the Distance program are Al Deschamps (Head Coach), Jamie Burdon, Robyn Hartley, and Holly Deyarmond. Junior Development Jumps are coached by Neil Martens and Hurdles by Ron Dupuis. Future Track Stars (Under-8 division) are coached by Sandy Huibers and Lauren Hoogasian.
“It’s an amazing group of coaches that has done a really incredible job of inspiring and developing the athletes in these age groups and setting them up for success as they move into our elite programs,” Fife said.
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