Abbotsford track athletes get a chance to use a little home field advantage at the 2016 Abbotsford BC Summer Games this July.
Athletes confirmed to hit the track include: Valley Royals team members Elliot Payne, Shaunika Suriya, Rachel Mortimer, Cassidy Hutchison and Joshua Carsience, along with MEI student Summer Joiner.
Carsience, a Grade 7 student at MEI, is one of the youngest competitors heading to the BC Summer Games, but he could be one of the most decorated.
He has trained with the Royals for three years, and competes in the pole vault and the 2000 metre run at the Games. In 2015, he won gold in pole vault at the Langley Pacific Meet in June, won a silver in pole vault at the BC Cross Country Championships in Nanaimo in October, a silver in the U13 boys 2000m at the BC Junior Development Championships in July and also won his age group at the Run for Water event.
"One of the youngest competitors competing in this event, Josh improves with every meet and with a season's best of 2.85m, he is on his way to jumping 3.00m plus this season," said Royals coach Graham Danziger. "Josh is a unique athlete as typically distance running and pole vaulting do not complement each other."
Mortimer, a Grade 9 student at W.J. Mouat, competes in the 1200 metre and 2000m runs. She's coming off an excellent high school season that saw her place second in the junior girls 1500m and 800m races at the Fraser Valley Track and Field Championships on May 26, and fifth in BC in the 1500m run at the BC high school track and field provincials earlier this month.
She has trained with the Royals for three years, and was also a competitive swimmer. Her Royals coaches said she shows promise in the distance races.
"Rachel is coming off a very successful high school season in the 1500m and 3000m," said Royals coach Sue Northey. "She is young and very talented with a strong aerobic base. She has been working on her speed and strength. She hopes to be ready to race fast come Games weekend."
Hutchison, who attends Grade 9 at MEI, represents Abbotsford and the zone in the 800m run. She also had a strong high school year, qualifying for the provincials in the 800m, 400m, and relay events.
"Cassidy has only been running with our club for a couple of years, but does so with enthusiasm and purpose," said Royals coach Ziggy Szelagowicz. "She is very talented and will do well in middle and long distance in the future. Cassidy is very dedicated to the program and has been making good improvements."
Payne, competing in the javelin, attends Maple Ridge Secondary School and, according to Valley Royals coaches, he has shown a lot of potential in the sport.
"Elliott is very new to the club but is a very good student of his sport," said Valley Royals coach Harold Willers. "We are currently tweaking his technique by making it more simple, with it already paying off. He will be in the mix against the older kids at the Games."
This past year he placed 46th at the Chehalis Activators International meet in javelin, which featured some of the best young athletes from across the Pacific Northwest. He also placed 21st in the long jump at that event, and hopes to continue competing in long jump, hurdles and javelin in the future.
Multi-talented Shaunika Suriya competes in the hammer, discus and high jump at the Games. The Langley resident has been awarded the BC junior development gold crest for athletic development every year since 2011.
"Shaunika, is a very versatile young athlete who enjoys the throws and jumps, but is also a strong sprinter," said coach Harold Willers. "Her athleticism will do her well in all of her events."
MEI's Summer Joiner also heads to the Games. She placed fourth in the province in the junior girls 1500m race walk, after dominating the local and regional meets. She'll also compete in race walk at the Games.
Ivon Singh Gill, the president of the Royals, said he expects locals to excel at the Games.
"I think the kids are really excited and there is a sort of home advantage," he said. "This is a very personal and individual sport and there is always the adjustment of going to a new place, and the food and rest you need for a race. We have home advantage and I think our athletes are used to this track. It will be a great comfort for them."
Track and field takes over Rotary Stadium starting with practice on July 21, with warm-ups and competition running from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 22 and 23. Medals will be handed out on both the 22nd and the 23rd. It all wraps up with the final events on July 24 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Games run from July 21 to 24 in various locations around Abbotsford and the surrounding areas. For more information on the event, visit bcgames.org.