GPV, LHS athletes grab armful of awards at track provincials
FALL RIVER: Mya Archibald has etched her name into the NSSAF Track and Field record books, setting a new provincial record in long jump.
Archibald grabbed three gold medals—100 metre; long jump; and high jump; and teamed with Fiona Day; Ryann Surette; and Julie Adamson for bronze in the 4×100 metre race.
Before Archibald’s jump, the old junior girls provincial record in long jump had not been touched since it was set in 1985.
“I didn’t even know I had set a new record,” she said on June 3. “When I first jumped it they kept measuring it so many times. And then they called it and every one cheered. Mr. Hanlon came over and told me I beat the record by one centimetre.”
Archibald, who also plays soccer, said the outdoors suits her just right.
“I really love being at the track and being outside,” she said. “Everyone is really nice. Even with just two of us left in the high jump, the other girl gave me a complement that I was doing well.”
Narrowing down her favourite track and field sport—that’s a tough one.
“I like the high jump because of the adrenaline rush, but the 100 metre I like because its running and the long jump is just so chill,” said Archibald, a Grade 8 student.
She said she was just happy to be at provincials.
“I never expected any of this,” she said. “I just had a lot of fun. It was really awesome.”
Archibald said she is inspired by her sisters best friend Abbi Gaudry, who she looks up to her because she’s gone to nationals. She is coached by Bella Willett of Waverley.
“She won a few awards when she was my age,” said Archibald, who has qualified for Legion nationals.
For Lockview High athletes at the provincials, Riley Adamson-Smith was fourth in the 100 metre dash; Lauren Ferguson; Emma Archibald; Abbi Gaudry; and Jill Langille teamed to win the 4×100 metre relay, setting a new provincial record of 51.34 (they came second in the 4×400 metre relay); Gaudry was first in 80 metre hurdles; first in long jump; third in javelin; and fourth in high jump. Ferguson was fourth in 200 metres and competed in 400 metres.
Isabelle Gonsalves was second in 4x400m relay along side Abbi Gaudry, Emma Archibald, and Lauren Fergusson ; Claire Langille snagged second in 100 metres; second in 200 metres; and second in 400 metres; Braden Marshall came home sixth in 100m hurdles, and competed in long jump; Ethan Price finished sixth in 400 metres; while Alex Logan, Joey Horne, Riley Adamson Simms, and Matthew Whitehead were third in the boys 4x 100 metre race.
The GP Vanier Vipers boys 4x 400 metre team grabbed gold, while the girls 4×100 metre squad earned bronze.
Brody Boudreau of Waverley, who attends Prince Andrew High in Dartmouth, capped off his high school track career with gold in the Senior Boys 1500m; and silver medals in both the Senior Boys 800m and 3000m.
Abby Lewis 12, from Beaver Bank, who attends Lesley Thomas placed first in the JR Girls 1,500 metres setting a new Provincial Record with a time of 4:46.13. She also placed first in the 3,000m with a time of 10:19.19 just missing the Provincial Record by less than half a second. Lewis was also second in the 800 metre race.