On Sunday, February 22, four young Georgian Bay Coyote racers travelled to the Toronto Track and Field Centre at York University to compete in the Athletics Ontario U14 Championships. A total of 448 athletes participated in this provincial-level competition.
The U14 girls opened the day with the 1200m race. Meaford’s own Avery McPhatter competed in the first heat. Her busy winter of ski racing had her in sharp racing form as she attacked the opening lap, tucking in behind a competitor before settling in patiently behind a runner from Brockville Legion. On her sixth and final lap, Avery made a strong pass and finished the race having shaved more than five seconds off her previous personal best.
Next to toe the line were Madelyn Moores and Iris Herman in the 2000m. Iris, like many of the Coyotes, thrives in longer distance events and chose to race up an age category to compete in the 10-lap event. Both girls were placed in the first heat of five athletes. At the gun, Madelyn positioned herself in the middle of the pack while Iris settled at the back. Over the course of the race, Madelyn made decisive passes and surged to the front, crossing the line 21 seconds faster than her previous best and winning her heat. Iris ran a smart, controlled race, making one early pass and another at the midpoint. She paced herself well and lowered her personal best by more than five seconds.
The lone U14 boy representing the Coyotes was Casey Mothersell, competing in the only heat of the 2000m. Determined to avoid the mistake of going out too quickly, Casey ran a composed opening lap, settling in behind several competitors. He maintained calm, even splits while tracking a runner from Pack Running Club. Mid-race, Casey surged into second position for several laps. In the final 20 metres, the battle for second became a nail-biter. Casey ultimately secured third place, missing silver by just one-tenth of a second. He crushed his previous personal best by more than 26 seconds, breaking the seven-minute barrier in the 2km — an impressive achievement for an 11-year-old.
Following the lunch break, Avery returned to the track for the demanding 800m. Coaches encouraged her to set aside her usual longer-distance ‘cat and mouse’ tactics and instead commit to a stronger opening lap. She did just that. The third lap proved challenging, but Avery battled all the way to the finish. Although she narrowly missed her personal best, she gained valuable racing experience.
“It was a highly successful day for the four Coyotes, with each athlete earning one personal best performance and Casey bringing home a provincial bronze medal. Coaches are proud of these young athletes for persevering through challenging winter training conditions and consistently giving their best effort. It was rewarding to see their hard work pay off,” said the team.
To learn more about the Georgian Bay Coyotes, visit www.georgianbaycoyotes.com.
