There were fast times, close finishes, and a broken record as the Varsity Blues excelled at the OUA Track and Field Championships at York University this weekend.
Third-year Varsity Blues runner Michael Trnkus executed his race strategy perfectly, taking the 600 m gold in 1:19.56.
“I told myself to stay physically relaxed but mentally alert so I [could] react to whatever [happened] in the race,” said Trnkus. He dealt with his pre-competition nerves by “[converting them] into enthusiasm and excitement.”
The men’s middle-distance crew showed great determination in competing despite the fact that many of the team members were under the weather. In the 1000 m, Andrew Cruickshank took second place in his heat, finishing 11th in the actual event with a time of 2:32.42.
“My chest was kind of constricted and I was having a lot of trouble breathing during the race,” explained Cruickshank. “Under the circumstances, the main thing that I’ve learned from this experience is to take better care of myself and make sure I don’t get sick in the first place.”
Teammates Ethan Davenport and Alex Denault sported nasal strips on the second day of competition, choosing to keep running despite being sick.
Off the track, pole-vaulter Townsend Benard demonstrated extraordinary depth perception, clearing a height of 4.81 m to finish second place.
Those performances went a long way towards helping the Blues finish sixth in the men’s standings.
The Blues women put in some stellar performances to finish fourth in the women’s standings. Fourth-year runner Tamara Jewett made an exceptional comeback in the 1500 m to finish second in 4:29.50. Members of the Queen’s Gaels and Waterloo Warriors were eager to catch a glimpse of Jewett’s speed from the sidelines.
Jewett’s performance was particularly impressive as it came after she finished sixth in the 1000 m. “Often I’m in races where I’m out at the front or it’s easier to get to the front, so it was really good practice for me to be in a race with a lot of girls around the same speed,” says Jewett. “It wasn’t really a race that was my focus; it’s a little bit short for me and more for speed practice.”
In relay action, the women’s 4×400 m team shattered the OUA indoor record, winning with a time of 3:44.11, 5.18 seconds faster than the mark set by the Windsor Lancers last year. The women’s 4×800 m relay team also impressed, clocking in at 9:01.01 to take second place.
Sophomore Rachel Jewett took gold in the pentathlon with a total of 3636 points, with teammates Flo Peters and Juliana Bergin rounding out the podium in second and third place respectively.
“I’m just starting to get in my stride and have successes this year. I don’t really have a lot of experience to put pressure on myself because I’m kind of in new territory,” said Jewett. “All I’m trying to do is have fun and do better than I have before. I felt a little bit of pressure to win because I ranked first [when I started], but I just used that as energy.”
Senior Shaneista Haye won the high jump, clearing 1.71 m, while Rachel Jewett tied for third place with a jump of 1.69 m.
Alicia Brown was another of the Blues’ top performers, taking third place in the 300 m with a time of 39.71; fellow sprinter Fiona Callender finished fourth with 40.50. Elsewhere on the track, Sarah Wells came in second in the 600 m in a sprint finish of 1:32.16.
With twelve podium finishes, the Blues finished the OUA track and field championships, and showed their quality in preparation for the CIS championships next month.
