Chasing a Provincial Title: The 2023 BC High School XC Champs Recap
Date: November 4th, 2023 | Host: Sullivan Heights Secondary School | Venue: Crescent Park, Surrey
5000 + Photos | Race Footage | Results
The exhilarating rhythm of pounding feet, the crisp autumn air, and the determination etched on the faces of young athletes converged at the grounds of Crescent Park. This past Saturday, Surrey bore witness to the 2023 BC High School Cross Country Provincial Championships, the pinnacle event of the BC high school season, which saw a gathering of talented high school runners from across the province.
With nine separate categories, each run separately, and chip timing integrated into every athlete's race number, the stage was set for an unforgettable day of cross country competition. From the Para division, Junior races, to the Senior 'A' Boys and Girls races to the fiercely contested Senior 'AA' and 'AAA' categories, the championship brought together the best of the best in high school cross country running. Not to mention, in the spirit of school pride, the team scoring system added an extra layer of excitement. Student-athletes, donning their school colours, aimed not only for personal glory but also to contribute vital points to the team scores.
Join us as we relive the moments of triumph and celebration of high school cross country running at its finest. Let's dive into the action, dissect the key races, and honour our newly crowned BC High School Provincial Champions!
Junior Girls 4000m
230 athletes took to the start line in the Junior Girls division, a competitive race that saw 5 runners dip under the 16 minute barrier. Adrianna Buitelaar of MEI added yet another victory to her list of accolades this season. Last month she took the title of Junior Girls Eastern Valley Champion and Junior Girls BC Club Champion. Crossing the line with a time of 15:08.20, she is now your 2023 BC High School XC Junior Girls Champion. Sasha Dehal followed behind to claim silver with a time of 15:28.98 and Ava Gauthier was third in 15:43.40.
Junior Boys 4000m
In similar fashion to the girls, the Junior Boys division saw 284 athletes competing for an individual championship. 12 athletes ran under 14 minutes, but it was Arjun Sandhu who came out on top. Towards the end of October he became the South Fraser Junior Boys Champion and now having run 13:03.35 over the 4km Crescent Park course, he is the 2023 Junior Boys XC Champion. Rounding out the podium is Riley Simmonds who crossed the finish line with a time of 13:15.22 and Jericho Geddes who followed closely behind in 13:15.80.
Senior Girls 1A 5000m
Jaina Kang, the senior from Credo Christian, stormed to a dominant victory. She was the only athlete in the field to run under 19 minutes, winning the race by over 40 seconds. This season Kang also won the Senior Girls title at the Eastern Valley Zone Championship and placed third in one of the sections of the Nike Hole in the Wall XC Invitational. As for the rest of the podium, Veronica Dee placed second with a time of 19:21.00 and Tessa Coyle was third in 20:59.30.