HIGH ACHIEVERS: Four meet records broken at Carleton University Ravens’ High School Relays

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By Martin Cleary

The runners, jumpers and throwers were back on track Thursday and they had a field day during the Carleton University Ravens’ High School Relays at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility.

Grace Munro of West Carleton and Grace Streek of Merivale led the way in the opening outdoor meet of the 2022 interscholastic season by each having two wins and one second-place showing. For good measure, Munro also was one of four meet record setters.

Quinn Coughlin of Opeongo, Audrey Goddard of Merivale and Dustin Coldrey of Colonel By were in the next wave of success with a pair of wins and one meet record each.

In one of the highlight races of the day, Munro won the varsity girls’ 400 metres in one minute, 2.55 seconds and was the first of four runners to eclipse the former record of 1:06.34, which was held by Marieve Van Spriel of St. Mary in 2018. The other record breakers in the one-lap sprint were runner-up Charlotte Murchison of St. Mother Teresa, 1:03.42; Laura Cross of Merivale, third in 1:03.97; and Goddard, fourth in 1:04.02.

Munro also showed her middle-distance talents by winning the 800 metres by 5.18 seconds in 2:37.40 and finishing second in the open 1,500-metre steeplechase (without the water jump) in 5:44.70.

A girls’ junior varsity runner, Streek excelled in the two long-distance and open events for all racers. She won the 3,000 metres in 11:20.03 as well as the 1,500-metre steeplechase in 5:49.03. Streek also was runner-up in the 800 metres to Munro in 2:40.45.

Coughlin lowered the girls’ junior varsity 400-metre record to 1:01.70, when she won that race by 8.02 seconds. The record was formerly set by Glebe’s Zoe Gardiner at 1:02.23 in 2019. In the 800-metre final, Coughlin was first in 2:35.09 for a 5.36-second margin over Streek.

Goddard had a most interesting track adventure in the girls’ varsity division, competing in four individual events – two sprint races and two hurdle races. She posted the fastest heat qualifying time in the 100 metres at 13.06, which broke the three-year-old record of Andréanne Saint-Sauveur of Gisèle-Lalonde at 13.11. But Goddard elected not to run the final.

Instead, she placed first in the 100-metre hurdles in 15.93 and the open 300-metre hurdles in 48.81. She also was one of four runners to surpass the 400-metre record, when she was fourth.

Coldrey was the top boys’ performer, winning the junior varsity shot put with a meet-record toss of 12.64 metres as well as the javelin in 31.08 metres. The meet shot-put record was previously held by Nathan Sauvé of Le Sommet at 12.34 metres in 2018.

The boys’ junior varsity class also saw William Sanders of St. Mother Teresa win the 400 metres in 53.75 and the 800 metres in 2:18.21, while Mason Brennan of Colonel By was first in the 100-metre hurdles in 17.93 and second in the high jump at 1.35 metres.

Youssef Alami of Colonel By used his straight-ahead speed to win the boys’ varsity 100 metres in 12.26 and the long jump at 5.72 metres. Teammate Carl Mallet was a first-place finisher in the boys’ varsity 400 metres in 57.19 and the javelin at 35.80 metres.

St. Joseph had two strong runners in the boys’ varsity class. Ian McCosham dominated the 800 metres in 2:16.74 and also won the open 3,000 metres in 10:01.53, while Jackson Chisholm was first in the 1,500-metre open steeplechase in 5:10.48 and second in the open 3,000 metres at 10:06.91.

On the girls’ side of the results sheet, St. Joseph also had an impressive showing from Olivia Mudde, who was first in the varsity long jump at 4.54 metres and second in the shot put at 7.71 metres. Besides her second-place result in the girls’ varsity 400 metres, Murchison was first in the 100 metres in 13.45 and added a fourth in the shot put at 7.51 metres.

Laura Cross of Merivale had everything but a win in her individual events – a second in the open 300-metre hurdles, 50.37; a third in the 400 metres, 1:03.97; and a fourth in the 800 metres, 2:43.35.

Thabisa Mangena of Merivale was a top athlete in the girls’ junior varsity field events as she won the shot put at 8.71 metres and the javelin at 15.87 metres.

As for the relays, Merivale and Opeongo dominated passing the baton, winning three races apiece, while West Carleton celebrated one victory.

Merivale was first in the girls’ junior varsity 4×100 (1:00.98), the girls’ varsity 4×200 (2:04.97) and boys’ varsity 4×200 (1:52.11), while Opeongo was unbeatable in the girls’ varsity 4×100 (58.79), the boys’ junior varsity 4×100 (51.95) and the mixed 4×400 (4:46.10). West Carleton won the boys’ varsity 4×100 (49.30).

Louis-Riel high school hosted a three-part indoor series earlier this month to kickoff the local high school track-and-field season. Terry Fox Athletic Facility will host the west and east conference championships on May 11 and May 12 respectively, the city finals on May 19-20 and the east regionals May 26-27. The OFSAA provincials run June 2-4 in Toronto at York University.