Danny Daniels
Contributor
When he’s not assisting Pen Track youngsters and competing in normal track and field events, Carl Jensen likes to help out his fellow throwers at the Victoria Highland Games.
So valued has been his work over the years that Carl was presented with their inaugural Victoria International Heavy Events Vision Award at the recent Games during the visit of Prince Andrew. Jensen, although a Masters age athlete, opted to compete in the Open B event, where he placed ninth, throwing far heavier objects than he normally does.
Also competing in these Games was Alexandra Norman-Ross, a former Pen Track athlete and coach, now training at the National Throws Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta. Although her Elite Women’s Division was stacked with some of the best women throwers in the world, Alex, ranked number three in Canada, placed sixth overall and came close to setting new Canadian records in two of her events.
Having watched the heavy throwers at work, their young proteges went to Nanaimo to prove to be the tops in their own categories. Personal bests were registered by Julia Peterson, 10, in the discus, Sarah Gibson, 14, in javelin, Ben Sammons, 13, in discus and Conner McCullough, 13, in both hammer and shot.
McCullough also picked up wins in the 100m, 200m and long jump while Sammonds won the javelin throw (just missing another PB) and placed in his 80m and 200m hurdles events as well as in the high jump.
Finn Battersby was first in his 1200m and 2000m races, while sister Piper, 15, winner of the George Dean 1200m trophy at the Parkland meet, won the 1500m steeplechase event.
Conor Loughnane, 11, won the 60m and 100m and placed second in the 200m, 600m and 1000m. Blake Furtado, 12, scored his win in the 80m hurdles and added second places in the 200m hurdles, 100m and long jump. Kaelan Smith, 16, took the youth 110m hurdles while Olivia Lucas, 9, Isaiah Smith, 12, and Matteo Hilton, 11, had multiple placements in other events.
Among the Masters competitors, Mette Fossberg (W60) returned to competition after surgery to win the 100m while Pegy Morfitt (W75), Anne Murfitt (W50), Les East (M70) and Don Brodeur (60) continued to dominate their events.
Just to prove he hadn’t totally exhausted himself at the Highland Games, Carl Jensen (M40) was top of the podium in the shot, discus and javelin.
Danny Daniels is a regular Peninsula News Review contributor, covering local track and field.