The final day of the BC High School Track and Field Championships saw records broken, doubles completed, and overall champions crowned.
Many of the records came from stellar distance performances.
Alexa Dow of Frances Kelsey, the winner of the Junior Girls 1500, broke her own Junior Girls Record in the 800m, running an incredible 2:07.41, besting her old record by 3 seconds. In a blazing fast race, Chloe Symon, the Junior Girls 400m Champion, ran 2:11.98 for second. Maggie Epp ran 2:14.46 to take the bronze medal. In an excitingly close race, Noah Louwerse also successfully completed the 1500/800 double, winning the Junior Boys 800 on Day 3 in a time of 1:57.06. Maverik Rahkola of Penticton and Niall O'Hara of John Barsby Community School were second and third, respectively.
In the Senior Girls 800m final, Maya Baechler of Kitsilano was another successful 1500/800 doubler, winning with a time of 2:10.21. Louison Debief of Fernie was second in a time of 2:16.42, with Maella Hodgson of Elgin Park in third with a time of 2:16.65. The Senior Boys 800m final featured an exciting sprint finish that saw Hudson Irvine of Earl Marriott become BC Champion in a time of 1:53.04. Mark Molina of Mennonite Educational Institute was second in a time of 1:54.87, and Maxwell Holmes of Pacific Academy was third in a time of 1:56.56.
Kate Rourke of Kitsilano became the Grade 8 Girls 800m champion in a time of 2:23.27, and in the boys race, Finn Adamson of Glenlyon Norfolk was the BC Champion in a time of 2:06.07.
Even more distance records were set in the 3000m.
Charlie Mlotshwa of Oak Bay set a new Junior Boys BC Championship Record in the Junior Boys 3000m with a time of 8:39.55. Arjun Sandhu took the silver, and Samuel May took the bronze. In the Junior Girls 3000m, Adrianna Butler of Mennonite Educational Institute became BC Champion in a time of 10:06.11. Tessa Hunter-Siebert of Stelly's was second, and steeplechase champion Ferron Wallace was third.
In the Senior Boys 3000m, steeplechase champion Yemane Mulugeta of LA Matheson won in a time of 8:26.60, with Tyler Browne of Oak Bay and James Hodgson of Elgin Park coming in second and third, respectively. In the Senior Girls race, Sidney Clement of Sentinel is the BC Champion, running 9:54.73. Ella Ballard of Royal Bay added a silver to her medal collection, and Maella Hodgson of Elgin Park added another bronze to hers.
Indie Cudmore of Mark R. Isfeld completed the 1500/3000 double on Day 3, winning the Grade 8 Girls 3000m. Isaiah Johnston of Clayton Heights became the Grade 8 Boys 3000m champion.
Sprint records also fell on Day 3.
Ryan Lofstrom, 100m champion and record holder, set yet another Junior Boys record in the 200m with times of 22.05 in the heats and 22.17 in the finals for another gold medal. Massimo Ardizzoni of Point Grey was second and Maximilian Patenaude of Summerland was third, just as it was in the 100m. Alexia Latore of Salish is your Junior Girls BC Champion over 200m with a time of 25.63. Caitlin Peever and Kealayna Tupas-Singh completed the podium.
100m champion Jordyn Reed of Crofton House also completed the 100/200 double, winning the Senior Girls 200m with a time of 25.26. Kerlinda Chatwin of Elgin Park took the silver in a time of 25.46, and Elly McDowell-Mitchell of Oak Bay took bronze with a time of 25.81. Pishon Haughton of Okanagan Mission also completed a double, the 400/200 double, winning the Senior Boys 200m in a time of 21.89. Mattias Eastman of Vancouver College was second with a time of 22.14 and Liam O'Donnell, 100m champion, was third with a time of 22.42.
Kaylie Dyste of Pacific Academy completed an impressive sweep of the grade 8 girls sprint events, winning the 100, 200, and 400. Her winning 200m time on Day 3 was 26.45. Andre Meltzer completed the 100/200 double, winning the Grade 8 Boys 200m with a time of 24.27.
The racewalk competitions also took place on Day 3.
In the Junior Girls 1500m Racewalk, Annette Blumel of Cowichan won with a 20-second margin to second place with a time of 8:10.71. Keira Blair of Walnut Grove took silver, and Ana Radic of Lord Byng took the bronze. On the boys side, Tommy Gibson of West Point Grey Academy is your BC Champion with a time of 7:40.20, with Tristan Andrews of Abbotsford Christian in second and Adam Bellafquih of Brooks in third.
In the Senior Mens 1500m Racewalk, Lowell Solmes of Killarney became BC Champion with a time of 6:37.53, an impressive 50-second lead. Jackson Murray of Parkland was second in a time of 7:26.37, and Richard Lee of Mount Douglas completed the podium with a time of 7:30.26. In the Senior Girls 1500m Racewalk, it was Amazia Wandzura of Pacific Academy who became the BC Champion in a time of 7:48.74. Chantelle Dass of Killarney was the silver medallist with a time of 7:51.36, and Fiona Jensen from Chilliwack Secondary was the bronze medallist with a time of 8:13.51.
The long hurdles also took to the track on Day 3.
In the Senior Girls 400m Hurdles, Amelia Kristen of Crofton House ran 1:00.55 en route to gold. Maiya Brunoro of Langley Christian won silver with a time of 1:01.00, and Lacie Simmons of Carihi took bronze with a time of 1:03.52. In the Senior Boys 400m Hurdles, Tyson Carr of Kelowna was crowned the BC Champion with a time of 58.46. Paul Ude of Pacific Academy was second with a time of 59.48, and Jose Montessori of Vancouver College was third, running 59.67.
Will Van Schagen from Sardis won the Junior Boys 300m Hurdles with a time of 40.83. Zimo Liu of Walnut Grove and Matthias Dee of Saint John Paul II Academy were second and third, respectively. Delaney Self of Dr Charles Best won the Junior Girls 300m Hurdles with a time of 46.06. Victoria Hoffman of Carihi and Leah Funk of Vernon Christian completed the podium.
In the Grade 8 Boys 200m hurdles, Acheleke Tateh became the BC Champion, winning by nearly two seconds. In the Grade 8 Girls 200m hurdles, Tanaz Aluakh-Kahlon won the championship.
The 4x400m relay finals for juniors and seniors completed the action on the track on Day 3.
Walnut Grove Secondary ran a new BC Championships Junior Boys 4x400m record of 3:31.77 to win gold, with West Point Grey Academy and Handsworth Secondary in silver and bronze, respectively. In a race that saw 4 competitors head into the bell lap in a dead tie, Mennonite Educational Institute took the Junior Girls 4x400m win with a time of 4:09.57. GW Graham took second and third, having qualified two teams.
In a nail-biting sprint to the finish, Kelowna Secondary won the Senior Mens 4x400m with a time of 3:30.80. Killarney took silver with a time of 3:31.11, and Pacific Academy took bronze with a time of 3:31.74. Oak Bay broke the 4-minute barrier to win the Senior Girls 4x400m in a time of 3:59.28. Handsworth took second, and Abbotsford Christian took third.
There was plenty of action on the field as well on Day 3.
In the shot put circle, Cathlene Van Zyl, discus champion, won the Senior Girls Shot Put with a throw of 12.15m. Malia Lenz of Abbotsford Senior was second with a throw of 11.50m, and Emily Franke of Crofton House was third with a throw of 11.47m. Deven Marrero of Grandview Heights, the winner of the boys hammer, won the Senior Boys Shot Put with a throw of 12.62m. Ryan Benedet of Brockton Preparatory School was second with a throw of 12.20m, and Ben Pickering of Rutland was third with a throw of 11.78m. In the Grade 8 Girls Shot Put, Laila Sandhu threw 11.36m to become BC Champion, over 2m further than her fellow competitors.
The Junior Girls Discus final was filled with familiar faces. Talia Phangura of North Surrey, the shot put winner, took the discus win with a throw of 36.27m. Gurleen Mander, silver medallist in the shot put, was also the silver medallist in the shot put with a throw of 35.14m. Gillian Galik, the javelin champion, took home bronze with a throw of 31.38m.
Shortly after, Mander became the Junior Girls Hammer Champion with a throw of 50.97m. Payge Doty-Brown took the silver with a throw of 49.29m, and Phangura added a bronze to her medal collection with a throw of 48.02m.
The Senior Girls Javelin final also took place on Day 3. Akira Munro of Highland Secondary became BC Champion with a throw of 39.30m. Brianna Breau of Kelowna Secondary was second with a throw of 34.84m, and Demetra Trimis of David Thompson was third with a throw of 32.35m. Griffin Cole of Saint George's won the Junior Boys Javelin with a throw of 53.58m, an impressive ten metres further than second place. Tyson Servos took the silver, and Austin Blair took the bronze.
Day 3 saw eight BC Champions crowned in the jumps.
Mackenzie Hurtubise of Langley Secondary set a new Junior Girls Pole Vault BC Championships record with a huge clearance of 3.78m, well above her old record of 3.60m. Gabrielle Armstrong of South Kamloops and Lucy Russel of Nanaimo District were second and third, respectively. Aidan Turner of South Delta was crowned BC Champion in the Senior Boys Pole Vault competition with a jump of 4.00m, an impressive 20cm gap to second. Kairo Chiang of Saint Thomas More Collegiate took the silver with a 40cm gap to bronze, taken by Griffin Wallan of Walnut Grove.
Turner doubled back to win the Senior Boys Long Jump with a leap of 7.14m. Lyle Lo of Robert Alexander McMath earned another silver medal with a jump of 6.96m, and Lynden Infanti of Kelowna Secondary took bronze with a jump of 6.52m. In the Grade 8 Boys Long Jump, Gage Thieriault of Stitos Lalem Totilt was the winner.
Jasleen Nagra of Fleetwood Park, who won silver in long jump, is the BC Senior Girls Triple Jump Champion with a jump of 11.25m. Marylou Djida of Secondaire Jules-Verne was second with a jump of 10.81m, and Kerlinda Chatwin, 200m silver medallist, took the bronze with a jump of 10.77m. Paige Bailey of Kwantlen Park won the Grade 8 Girls Triple Jump with a jump of 10.31m. Tessa Bell and Vanessa Pang leapt the same distance of 10.25m, but as Bell jumped it first, Bell was second and Pang third.
In the Junior Boys High Jump, Walker Brown of Dr Knox Middle School was the champion with a jump of 1.85m, with an impressive 10cm lead. Keegan Farrell was second, and Enoch Lee third. In the Junior Girls High Jump, Payton Heer of South Kamloops was the winner with a clearance of 1.70m. Lily Stewart and Nova Wedmann-Kent completed the podium.
At the conclusion of Day 3, the overall team winners and athlete honours were announced.
Girls AA Champion: Crofton House
Girls AAA Champion: Oak Bay
Boys AA Champion: Pacific Academy
Boys AAA Champion: Robert Alexander McMath
Combined AA Champion: Crofton House
Combined AAA Champion: Oak Bay
Outstanding Performance, Girl: Jordyn Reed, Crofton House
Outstanding Performance, Boy: Yemane Mulugeta, LA Matheson
Most Inspirational Performance: Divine Aniamaka, Pacific Academy
And that concludes the 2023 BC High School Track and Field Championships! Congratulations to all the athletes. Thank you to the officials, volunteers, coaches, and families for supporting BC's athletes. Thank you for tuning in to Milesplit BC's coverage, and we will see you there next year!