There were 460 up-and-coming track athletes and about 1,000 spectators at Maple Ridge secondary on Saturday, as Golden Ears Athletics hosted the Eagle Classic Track Meet.
“We’ve become an established event. It was a great one-day meet,” said meet organizer and Golden Ears track coach Andrew Lenton.
Chisom Obioha was the most impressive member of the hometown Eagles, as she won first place in three events for 13-year-old girls – the 100m and 200m sprints, and also the long jump.
“She’s a really talented girl,” said Lenton. “She’s had some knee problems due to growth, but she performed very well.”
Jade Lenton was also a multiple event winner, with a win in the 800m race, and third place in the 200m and high jump. She also had good showings in shot put (fourth) and long jump (fifth).
Nine-year-old Alex Neal won the 1,000m race and took second in the 600m. He was also the district’s cross-country champion in his age group. Close behind him in the 1,000m event was Eagle teammate Sam Pitzey, who took third.
Lenton said the pre-teen and young teen members of the Eagles are the club’s strength.
“We’ve got some really strong youth, and that’s where the bulk of our team is.”
Other top-three performances by Eagles included:
• Jacob Wall, 11, third in 1,000m;
• Kynan Haints, 9, third in 60m hurdles;
• Sam Nelson, 12, third in shot put;
• Carter Stevenson, 12, second in 1,200m;
• Ty Stevenson, 12, second in high jump;
• Aiden Grout, 13, third in high jump;
• Kevin Varga, 13, second in shot put;
• Elliott Payne, 13, first in javelin;
• Mark Pinckard, all-comers class, second in the mile;
• Jorrin Lenton and Darian Smerdal, all comers, second and third in javelin;
• Katrin Rycroft, all comers women, third in javelin;
• The Golden Ears Athletics Boys 11-12 4x100m relay team also took second.
An athlete from the Langley Mustangs ran the fastest sprint time set by a Grade 6 boy in the past 60 years in the province. David Midgley ran the 100m in 12.26. The next closes was 12.88.