Oak Bay High athletes hit the ferries on a high in the wake of the provincial high school track and field competition. About 50 amazing young people secured positions in the competition and came away celebrating a pair of provincial banners, and an outing with peers, said head coach Tessa Kubicek.
The numbers are back up to where they were five years, she said. The season started with about 100 athletes on the school track and field team. At Island championships, the team earned the junior girls, junior boys, senior girls and overall titles and half that many earned positions at provincials held at Macleod Athletic Centre in Langley.
“It was just nice to be back at a B.C. championship with all the kids. The kids were so engaged and excited to be there.”
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The Oak Bay students scored two provincial banners for overall team and the senior girls team. A handful of multi-event athletes stood out to coaches.
Grade 11 student Elly McDowell-Mitchell finished first in 400-metre senior girls, third in the 200-metre and was part of the foursome that won the 4x400 relay.
Fellow relay racer Ines Ciccateri also finished fourth in pole vault.
International student Giulia Gelmotto finished second in senior girls pole vault.
For the senior boys, Basil Parkins finished second in the 800-metre, seventh in the 1500 and raced with the 4x400 relay team that came fifth overall. Mason Andulajevic earned a third-place finish in discus and fourth in hammer throw. Railay Fawkes finished fourth in the 400-metre hurdles and seventh in the 110-metre hurdles.
All the kids were amazing, said Kubicek, who led an equally large coaching team this year.
She said upward of 10 coaches helped lead different track and field events, including guest coaches sharing specific skills.
“It’s a big team with lots of moving parts … it’s good to have a large coaching team, we’re lucky that way,” she said.
READ ALSO: Oak Bay, Victoria firefighters run in circles to raise funds
Many of the student athletes also plan to participate in Around In Circles, a firefighter fundraising event that this year supports a project to resurface the Jack Wallace Memorial Track adjacent to Oak Bay High and the nearby recreation centre.
“Having that track right there helps us to build that program because it’s so accessible to students,” Kubicek said.
The Around in Circles fundraising event features food from The Rack and entertainment including Jaimey Hamilton, Oak Bay High jazz band and The Bald Eagles Band.
They’ll take turns lapping the track alongside Oak Bay and Victoria firefighters for 24 hours starting June 25 at noon.
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