"Throughout my high school career I have had many great and unforgettable experiences so far. From breaking meet records to laughing with friends in between races. I have been incredibly lucky to have had many winning experiences; however, those have not come easy. As track and field in British Columbia continues to expand, the competition level continues to grow. To stay ahead of the competition, I have learned that I must put in countless hours of hard work on the track and in the weight room."
This hard work made Lofstrom a multiple-time provincial champion in 2023. He won the 100m and 200m Junior Boys BC High School titles, setting meet records in the process and also was the 2023 100m provincial club champion. Not to mention as a 16-year-old, he went onto represent Team BC at the U20 Canadian Track and Field Championships, where he ran 10.71 seconds in the 100m and 21.83 seconds in the 200m.
"Being able to secure titles from both high school and club provincials was a significant experience and achievement for me, and I am hoping to have a few more titles to my name before my time in high school comes to an end. As for competing at U20 nationals as a 16-year-old, I was able to gain valuable experience that most kids my age normally don't experience until they are older and for that I am grateful."
Lofstrom's standout season didn't end there. He went on to represent Canada at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, his first national team. At the games he competed in both the 100m and 200m, making all the way to the finals in both events where he placed fifth in the 100m with a time of 10.63 seconds and sixth in the 200m with a time of 21.99 seconds.
"Ever since I started track, I dreamed of having the opportunity to compete for my country. So last year when I was able to proudly wear the male leaf on my chest, I was fulfilling a childhood dream. On top of this, being selected for the team allowed me to compete alongside some of the best athletes from all over the country, and I was able to become friends with many of the team members." Given his remarkable progress, it's no surprise that Lofstrom has cultivated an optimal training environment.
"My training group with the Comox Valley Cougars is small and I am one of the only male sprinters in the group. Therefore, the majority of the time I am completing workouts by myself and can have more one-on-one time with my coach, which I find has been a major help in my progress over the past few seasons. As for the progress I have made over this offseason, I have upped my training all around and have been more committed and dedicated to improving my athletic ability in hopes of improving even more next season."
Now as we shift into a new outdoor season, Lofstrom has left us with some final words about what he hopes to achieve.
"This upcoming season is shaping up to be pretty important for me as there are a few meets I am hoping to compete at. The biggest meet I am aiming to compete at this season is U20 Worlds in Lima, Peru. However my biggest goal is to break the U18 National Record, currently held by Aaron Brown, with a time of 10.46, as I believe my training in the off season will be enough to challenge this record and potentially break it."