There were more than 500 young athletes running, throwing and leaping at Maple Ridge secondary on Saturday, as local track club Golden Ears Athletics hosted its annual Eagle Classic track meet.
It was a record number of participants, and they came from as far away as the Sunshine Coast.
There were 67 competitors from the local club, and they put up some remarkable performances.
Jade Lenton won the 13-year-old 800-metre race in a time of 2:31.91 minutes.
Chisom Obioha won the open 100m dash in a time of 12.98 seconds.
Carter Stevenson took two silver medals, in the 13-year-old 800 m, in a time of 2:22.21, and the 13 year-old-mile in 5:32.08.
The Herb Gee Outstanding Meet Performance Award went to Izzy Forsyth, a 13-year-old from the Coastal track Club in Surrey for a shot put throw of 10.64 m.
Although the event was primarily a junior development meet, the other notable performance was from Coquitlam Cheetahs Nathan George, who attends Trinity Western University, in the 400 m race. He set a blistering time of 46.45 seconds, which ranked him in the Top 10 overall in Canada.
Fraser Valley meet
Many of the club’s high school athletes did not take part because the Fraser Valley championships for high school track and field started in Coquitlam on Monday.
Some of the top local finishers:
• Aaryanna Kurucz of MRSS, third in the junior women’s 400 m in a time of 1:00.46;
• Jorrin Lenton of MRSS, first in the junior men’s 400 m in 52.83;
• Madelyn Huston of Thomas Haney, first in women’s 400 m in 1:00.18;
• Amber Tait of MRSS, first in the 1,500 m racewalk in 8:54.45;
• Graeme Roberts of Westview, second in junior men’s 3,000 m in a time of 9:27.92;
• Abisayo Ajibike, second in the women’s long jump with a leap of 5.34 m;
• Daniel Jo finished of MRSS, third in the men’s discus with a throw of 38.2 m;
• Nico Aron of MRSS, first in Grade 8 boys 400 m in 55.07;
• Spencer Morrison of MRSS, third in Grade 8 girls shot put with a throw of 9.24 m;
• Sam Manke of Pitt Meadows, third in Grade 8 boys 3,000 m in a time of 10:18.48.
The Fraser Valley championships continue through Thursday, with the top eight athletes in each event qualifying for the provincials.