Staff
The Meaford Coyotes Track Club sent seven of their top runners to the Athletics Ontario Bantam, Midget, Junior Indoor Track and Field championships. The two-day event on Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5 was held at York University’s 200m banked indoor track facility.
The Coyotes’ Grade 6-7 Bantam Girls started the weekend off on a strong note, with three of the four girls running personal best times. Kara Tichbourne (Grade 6), led the way, placing 4th of 26 competitors and knocking off almost 10 seconds from her previous best. She broke the 4:00 barrier with a time of 3:59.99. Hailey Abbott (Grade 7), was a close 5th by a nose as she and the 6th place girl had the same time of 4:00.76. Tichbourne also won a bronze medal in the Bantam Girls 800m in 2:28.95, her second personal best time of the weekend.
Jake Clarke, a Grade 12 Dundalk student, had two strong races in the Junior Mens category. He ran a powerful 400m personal best time of 53.84 and also knocked off four seconds in his 800m to stop the clock at 2:02.76. Grade 8 Durham student Ethan Pentland shaved another five seconds off his 2000m time, as he crossed the line in 11th of 24 in 6:29.42, and then ran 2:18.76 for his 800m only a couple of hours later against the Grade 8-9 Midget Boys.
“Overall the Coyotes posted nine personal best performances in 11 races, placing three in the top five and won one bronze medal. The two girls who didn’t run personal bests were both suffering with head and chest colds, but both gave a 100% effort. So it was a very successful weekend!” said team coach Kevin Hooper.
The team have their final indoor meet of the season on March 25-26 at York University, as their Grade 2-8 members compete at the Ontario Minor Track Association Provincial Championships, also at York University. They then have a well deserved two-week break before beginning their Spring/Summer session on Saturday, April 8.
For more information about the Coyotes or about joining the team, check out their website at www.meafordcoyotes.com.
Results: [* = personal best time]
Bantam Girls 800m [2004-2005]
Kara Tichbourne [2005] – 3rd/22 @ 2:28.95*
Grace Boyce [2005] – 19th/22 @ 2:48.11*
Bantam Girls 1200m [2004-2005]
Kara Tichbourne [2005] – 4th/26 @ 3:59.99*
Hailey Abbott [2004] – 5th/26 @ 4:00.76*
Madison Calder [2004] – 7th/26 @ 4:05.29
Grace Boyce [2005] 23rd/26 @ 4:28.65*
Midget Girls 1200m [2002-2003]
Matalyn Lee [2002] 22/39 @ 4:10.37
Midget Boys 800m [2002-2003]
Ethan Pentland [2003] – 18th/38 @ 2:18.58*
Midget Boys 2000m [2002-2003]
Ethan Pentland [2003] – 11th/24 @ 6:29.42*
Junior Men 400m [1998-1999]
Jake Clarke [1999] – 29th/50 @ 53.84*
Junior Men 800m [1998-1999]
Jake Clarke [1999] – 25th/59 @ 2:02.76*
Photo: Kara Tichbourne of Meaford won a bronze medal in the Grade 6-7 Bantam Girls 800m at the Athletics Ontario Indoor Track and Field Championships on Sunday, March 5. She also placed 4th in the Bantam Girls 1200m the day before.
