Podium Sweep in Senior Boys 400m highlights Tbirds success at BC High Schools.
Left to right: Quinn, Mary, Paul, Egidio.
A number of personal bests and podium finishes were earned last weekend at the BC High School Track and Field Championships in Langley, BC. The most significant highlight for the Thunderbirds Track Club, however, was the 1-2-3 podium sweep in the Senior Boy's 400m on Friday, June. The bronze medal position, with a new personal best time of 49.96 was May's Thunderbird Athlete of the month, and 2017 Commonwealth Youth Team member, Paul Fisher. Inching ahead in the silver medal position, also in a life-time best of 49.27 was teammate, Egidio Cantarella. And finally, with a dominating overall win, the gold was presented to Thunderbird athlete, Quinn Litherland, with a season's best time of 47.85, also good for a Pan-Am Junior team qualifying mark. All three boys are coached by Thunderbird's Club coach, Mary Chewning.
The trio’s success did not end here. Fisher followed his zone championship win in the 400mH a few weeks back, by winning the provincial title, clocking 54.74, to take home his second medal of the meet. In the 200m, Cantarella added a second personal best, this time over 200m in 22.63 to place 4th, while additionally contributing to his school's 4x100m relay victory, in a new meet record time. Litherland added a pair of silver medals to his gold in the 400m, placing 2nd in the 200m with a season's best time of 21.95, (also a qualifying standard for the Canada Summer Games,) and a second in the 4x400m.
Highlighting success for the Thunderbird's on the women's side was Michelle Dadson, who had a fantastic weekend, posting three personal bests in shot put (13.56m, 1st place), discus (33.70, 3rd) and hammer throw (42.35m, 4th). Dadson is coached by head Thunderbird's throws coach, Don Allmeeresch.
On the endurance side, coach Stan Jang and Chris Johnson had some impressive results from their athletes:
- Grade 8 Ella Symon has found her event, finishing 2nd in the 800m and running PB's in both the prelims and finals; she was also 4th in the 1500m.
- Skye Higgins was close behind finishing 5th in the 800m and 8th in the 1500m
- Junior Bridgett Baziw was 6th in the girls 1500m and 5th in the 3000m
- Senior Sydney Des Brisay finished 8th in the girls 1500m steeplechase, her first provincial steeplechase race.
- Junior Quinton Braziller raced aggressively to finish 12th in the boys 800m and score a big PB
- Always difficult for grade 9's in the junior events racing against grade 10's, Dylan Uhrich raced hard with PB's in both the 1500m and 3000m finishing 19th and 12th; He was the the top finishing grade 9 in both events.
Additional Thunderbird Highlights from BC High School Championships include:
Eden Eisses - 400m 1:04.60, 13th (PB) -- LJ 4.67, 7th -- TJ 9.84, 6t
Benjamin Ross - 400m - 54.10 19th (PB)
Skye Higgins - 800m - 2:27.37, 5th
Luka Poljak HJ 1.80m 9th --- Polve Vault 3.15m, 6th
James Black 1.75m HJ, 16th.
Luc Ilicic, 34.57m 9th Sr. Boy's Discus.
Bert Wan, 12.32m Sr. Boy's Shot put
Noelle Yau, 9.29m 5th place Grade 8 Girls shot put.
Annika Austin, 800m: 2:24.93, 9th ; 1500m: 4:52.08, 10th; 3000m: 10:35.06, 10th.
For a complete list of results from the 2017 BC High-school Track and Field Championships click here.
Next up for the Vancouver Thunderbirds will be the Jesse Bent Track Meet, this weekend in Coquitlam, BC.