Maple Ridge middle distance runner Nicholas ‘Nico’ Aron will compete at a continental track and field championship meet this summer.
The Hershey’s Track and Field Games North American Final, which has been hosted by the chocolate giant for 37 years, will be held on Aug. 2 in Hershey, Penn.
The event emphasizes fun and accommodates average athletes, not all track stars, but Aron should be among the elite.
He has been training with Canadian Olympic gold medal sprinter Robert “Blast Off” Esmie at South Fraser Track Club in Surrey. So far, he has had a successful track season, with 27 races won to date and athletics standard times met for both the 800 meter and 1200 m events.
The 12-year-old attended Yennadon elementary in Maple Ridge, where he is an outstanding student and received the Math Award this year.
The event is billed as the largest program of its kind in North America, and provides athletes aged nine to 14 an opportunity to participate in basic track and field events.
The meet includes visits to the Hershey’s Chocolate World attraction and the Hershey chocolate factory.