With a team of more than 40 athletes, the bar remained high for the St. Thomas More Knights track and field team at last week’s B.C. High School Track and Field championships in Langley.
To the surprise of few, they hit those expectations, and more.
Led by standout performances from a small contingent of Grade 8 girls, the Knights returned home with 15 medals.
“We have high expectations because we are consistently in the top five in the province,” STM track and field coach Dave Mattiazzo said. “While there is no title for Grade 8’s, (STM) did have the most points for a Grade 8 (team). The future of the Knights track and field team looks very promising.”
The trio of Alicia Bremer, Milena Kalisch and Kate Stewart Barnett accounted for eight medals alone on the invitational side of the championships, as well as anchoring the school’s gold in the 4x400 relay, teaming up with Janelle Chhun.
"This group was very focused and determined to win. Their time would have placed them in the finals of both the junior and senior 4x400m finals," said Mattiazzo.
Stewart Barnett captured the 1500- and 3000-metre races, while placing third in the high jump. Kalisch collected silver in the 3000m and bronze in the 1500m, and Bremer topped the 200m hurdles, finished second in the 80m hurdles and completed the hat trick with bronze in the triple jump.
Mattiazzo noted that Bremer and Stewart Barnett were chosen as the Grade 8 track team's co-MVPs of the year.
"(Stewart Barnett) has a tremendous work ethic and achieved personal bests in her runs. (She) has a unique combination of events from distance, relays and high jump. Unfortunately her high jump was minutes after her 1500m run which left her legs really tired, (but) she was still able to win a bronze medal though showcasing her focus," he said. "I am so impressed with (Bremer's) dedication, focus and desire to be the best. Alicia has a natural drive you can't coach."
A week earlier, Bremer took silver at the provincial multi-events pentathlon.
In junior girls, Michelle Dadson won the shotput with a throw of 13.56m and picked up bronze in discus with a toss of 33.70m, both personal high marks for the young athlete. Shiloh Corrales Nelson placed second in shotput.
"Both (Dadson and Corrales Nelson) have worked exceptionally hard and exemplify great leadership," noted Mattiazzo. "Michelle has even assisted as a coach. Yes they have had a friendly rivalry."
Senior competitor Giovanna Janes earned silver in the javelin with a throw of 41.05.
For the boys, the STM 4x100 relay placed second with a time of 43.56 seconds, trailing front runner Vancouver College by one second. The foursome - E.J Escobedo, Aaron Field, Eman Dadson and Devon Hayek - have benefitted from the experience of Olympic gold medallist Robert Esmie, the team's assistant coach.
"This team won the BC's and set a record when they were Juniors so we had high expectations," Mattiazzo said of the four STM runners.
The Knights' 4x100m Grade 8 boys team of Sean Hernandez, Marcus Taylor, Carson Wong and Angelo Labrador earned silver,
Burnaby South’s Diego Medrano won silver in the senior boys 110m hurdles with a time of 14.79. Burnaby Central’s Grade 8 boys 4x400 relay team collected silver, while Ryan Goudron placed third in the 1500 and 3000m events.
Here are more Burnaby results: GIRLS, Senior - Rochelle Andrews, STM, 9th HJ; Logan Bovell, BC, 5th 100, 5th 300; Giovanna Janes, STM, 2nd jav; BC 4x100, 5th. Junior - Shiloh Corrales Nelson, STM, 2nd s/p; Michelle Dadson, STM, 1st s/p, 3rd disc, 4th h/t; Zuzanna Liniewski, BN, 8th h/t. Grade 8 - Alicia Bremer, 1st 200m H, 2nd 80m H, 3rd TJ; Kelsey Kanyamuna, AL, 7th 400; Milena Kalisch, STM, 2nd 3000, 3rd 1500; Kate Stewart Barnett, STM, 1st 1500, 3000, 3rd HJ; Hannah Vorell, BM, 2nd 400; STM 4x400, 1st; 4x100, 6th; BM 4x400, 6th.
BOYS, Senior - Eman Dadson, STM, 5th TJ; Diego Medrano, BS, 2nd 110m H; Anthony Prpic, STM, 7th 1500 r/w; Tyler Stajduhar, STM, 10th 1500 r/w; Dmitri Williamson, BC 7th LJ; STM 4x100, 2nd. Junior - Shea Janke, BS, 8th 1500 steeple; David Ligocki, BC, 7th 400; Thomas Luong, BM, 9th jav. Grade 8 - Ryan Goudron, BC, 3rd 1500, 3000; Sebastyan Szymanski, BC, 7th; STM 4x100, 3rd, 4x400, 5th; BC 4x400, 2nd. Special Olympics - Jayden Holt, AL, 3rd s/p, 5th 100.
