On Saturday January 27, 2024, the Mississauga Olympians hosted the First Annual Patricia Warwick Track and Field Meet at The Toronto Track and Field Centre. A small contingent of eleven young Coyotes made the trip to York University’s indoor track to participate in the competition.
The day began with the 1200m races, and dedicated young runner, Madeline Armstrong, faced off against the fastest heat of tyke girls. She was steady and calculated as she raced this distance for the first time, crossing the line in a very respectable 7th place. The Coyotes’ other tyke girl, Sophia Miller, went out too hard in her heat, and was not able to finish the race, but gained some valuable insight on how to pace.
Next up, the day progressed with the 1500m races. Very disappointingly, the officials were struggling to count the laps appropriately and they incorrectly told athletes they had an extra lap to run for three separate races. Despite the misinformation, McKenna Marshall managed to match her personal best time and newcomer Madelyn Moores raced for the first time and showed excellent grit while finishing her last lap with a nice burst of speed.
Atom boy, Richard Saunders was made to run an extra 200m lap and then was told to keep going for another after that. Coyotes coaches flagged him down and had him finish there, but he left the morning with a bitter taste in his mouth. According to the Coyotes team, officials mistakenly placed him in 6th, when he had actually crossed the line in 4th place. Senior girl, Kate Earle looked strong and in control as she raced in the fastest heat and pushed herself to knock seven seconds off her previous personal best. Intermediate runner, River Jones, celebrated his 15th birthday with some races. He ran the 1500m race well and came home with a 4th place ribbon.
After the 1500m races were concluded, the team had a very long break. The second race of the day was scheduled to take place around 2pm, but the events were about two hours behind. The Coyotes athletes took advantage of the indoor facility by having handstand competitions, tag and even some wall climbing challenges. It was a team building afternoon for sure.
The 800m races got started with Sophia Miller bravely stepping to the line for a second try. She proved that she learned a great deal from her morning race as she kept a very steady and controlled pace over the course of her four laps.
Ludovic Menard was next to the line. This young ball of energy made us all smile as he managed to wave to his teammates and watch some long jump all while running a huge new personal best.
Atom boy, Richard Saunders was ready for a more positive experience in his 800m race. He started out hard and finished strong, taking home the bronze medal. Kate Earle had another successful race in the 800m as she did her best to keep up with the fast heat of girls. She knocked three seconds off her personal best time and crossed the line in a well earned 5th place. River Jones finished the day by racing with the Intermediates and he also took 5th place.
It was a long day for many of the Coyotes, but it was one filled with some good training and learning experiences. The team members now have time to set goals and work hard before they race again at the beginning of March.
To find out more about the team, visit their website at: www.georgianbaycoyotes.com
