Vikram Gondara of Abbotsford continues to stake his claim as one of the country’s top youth hammer throwers.
The W.J. Mouat student took the top spot at the 2015 National Youth Track & Field Championships in Quebec after throwing a 58.86-metre toss — three metres further than second-place finisher and fellow Valley Royals teammate Jayden Driver.
“The circle was fast … [and] on the day of the throw it was sunny and humid,” Gondara told The News. “I was breathing heavy and feeling tired.”
Nevertheless, Gondara managed to best the class of 16 athletes in the U18 five-kilogram division, which is nothing new for the soon-to-be Grade 11 student.
“This year, my season has been great as I was undefeated in the hammer throw for the whole season,” said Gondara, although he expressed disappointment not to better his personal best throw of 62 metres, which he set at the B.C. Athletics Championships in Nanaimo in July.
Driver’s best toss at the national youth championships was 55.65 metres, more than two metres further than the Nova Scotia competitor in third.
Driver and Gondara were the only B.C. representatives in the hammer throw contest.
Both athletes also competed in the 1.5-kg discus throw, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively.
Gondara and Driver will be training with the Royals through the fall and winter.
Gondara has been exceptional in recent years.
Last year, Gondara shattered the meet record in the U16 boys hammer throw at the 2014 Canadian Legion Youth Track and Field Championships when he notched a 59.44-metre toss, 5.5 metres farther than the previous record set.