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Three of Maple Ridge’s outstanding track and field athletes were part of a team title with the UBC Thunderbirds at the 2019 NAIA National Championship in Gulf Shores, Alabama on May 23-25.
Jamie Hennessey, Mikayla Tinkham and Madelyn Huston all contributed to UBC’s first ever women’s championship title. The women’s team was in a battle down to the wire against Southern-New Orleans with the T-Birds coming out on top by three points. It’s the first NAIA championship for the T-Bird women following a second place finish in 2018.
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All three of the Ridge women ran in the women’s 4x800 metre relay, which won gold for the second straight year.
Tinkham, a junior, also finished fourth in the 1500m final and third in the 800m final, earning valuable points towards the team’s championship total. Her runs were made in Alabama heat that soared to 38 C, and the bronze gives her coveted All-American status.
Huston, a sophomore, picked up two points with a seventh place finish in the 800m final.
The UBC men also won their second banner in the last three years for the first T-Birds sweep.