The U of T track and field athletes were out in full force this past weekend for their first indoor track meet since the Christmas break. The competition included over 400 participants from an array of Ontario universities and various provincial track clubs.
This day-long event gave U of T athletes the chance to compete at home while gearing them up for the rest of the upcoming indoor season. “This particular track meet allowed the athletes to get a feel for the competition. The intent was to challenge the student athletes,” said U of T head coach Carl Georgevski. “These athletes have been training five to six days a week since the beginning of September, and competitions like this are the reason.”
Although it was the first meet since December, the Varsity Blues managed to iron out their various holiday kinks by turning in terrific performances. High jumper Mark Dillon had the best day a freshman could ask for when he nailed his event by jumping 2 m 19 cm claiming the third best jump in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) history. An excellent start for the talented Dillon, whose future aspirations include a spot on the Canadian Olympic team. Narissa Yee, another talented field athlete, turned in a remarkable performance when she won the women’s weight throw competition by throwing the 20 lb weight 12 m and 20 cm.
Veteran 60 m sprinters Luke MacInnis and Daniel Barbarie had a great day on the track. Fourth-year MacInnis raced to a 7.0 second time placing sixth overall, while the third-year Barbarie won his B final, placing tenth overall. Although their baton exchanges were slightly rusty, the 4 x 200 men’s relay, which included team members MacInnis, Barbarie, Neil Barakat and Matt Stiver, proved that they were the team to reckon with, clocking in with a time of 1 minute 32 seconds, a full two seconds ahead of the second place finisher.
On the women’s side, U of T’s Emily Rosenberg tied her personal 60 m best with a sprinting time of 7.95 seconds, while both Michelle MacDonald and Melanie Chiu leapt to great times in the 60 m hurdles. “These were excellent results for the first meet back…this competition showcased world class sprinters,” said Georgevski.
As well as heading off to Windsor next weekend, the U of T tracksters are gearing up for some heavy duty American competition at both Cornell and Penn State within the next few months. But if Saturday is anything to go by, then Georgevski has nothing to worry about. “The entire coaching staff was pleased with the team’s performances,” he said. “The student athletes came out great this year and we are optimistic about the upcoming indoor season…we are well on our way.”
