Local track and field athletes returned from the B.C. Championships in Kamloops this last weekend with gold medals and personal bests.
Performing with track temperatures exceeding 35 degrees, Casey Atkin of Sidney won the senior women’s 400m race with a personal best and also captured the bronze medal in the women’s 800m race.
Saanich resident Aleisha Cobb, Atkin’s Pacific Athletics team mate, also placed first in long jump, had her seasonal best performance and placed third in the women’s 100m dash.
“Staying cool and focused on the race is part of our training discipline,” said Atkin of how the two beat the heat during their events.
The B.C. Championships in Kamloops drew over 500 athletes from clubs, universities and colleges from across the province including Atkin’s former Stelly’s Secondary team mate, Danielle Delage, who competed in the hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m and javelin to prepare for the seven-event heptathlon in Sherbrooke.
“These events were specifically important to my longer term plan to compete in the Canada Summer Games,” said Delage.
All three athletes will now compete for B.C. in the Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Quebec which run from Aug. 2 to 17.
– with files from Pacific Athletics
Peninsula athletes off to Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Quebec:
• Deborah Snell - rowing. Brentwood Bay/Stelly’s Secondary School
• Casey Atkin - athletics. Sidney/Stelly’s Secondary School
• Michelle Aylard - rowing. Sidney/Washington State University
• Keira Flanagan - rowing. Sidney/Parkland Secondary School
For all Team B.C. athletes, visit teambc.org/games/?G=7.