13 Jan, 2008 --
Queen’s athletes started the New Year posting some outstanding results in the team’s first visit to the Louis Riel Dome. The Gaels returned home with one CIS qualifier, a new QUEEN’S RECORD + 4 other ALL TIME TOP TEN performances, 7 OUA TOP 8 Standard, 3 high performance standard, and 3 OUA standard achievers, 10 PB’s, and 19 medals (6 Gold, 7 Silver, 6 Bronze).
CIS QUALIFIER
LESLIE SEXTON: 3000m – 9:45.82, #4 ALL TIME, GOLD, PB
Leslie’s previous best 3000m was 10:30.92, so needless to say she crushed it. In the process guaranteed herself a trip to McGill in March to compete at the CIS Championships as she eclipsed the automatic qualifying standard of 9:54.80. Leslie also leapt on to the Queen’s ALL TIME TOP TEN with this effort assuming the #4 spot, just behind multiple CIS Champion Beth Wightman (9:37.26). Based on last year’s year-end CIS rankings Leslie’s performance would be the third best in the country. It’s interesting to note that the 3 women ranked ahead of her on the Queen’s ALL TIME list were all OUA CHAMPIONS in the 3000m, two were also CIS CHAMPIONS in the 3000m, and the other a CIS bronze medalist in the 3000m, so Leslie’s joined in with some pretty darn good company!!!
QUEEN’S RECORD
VERONICA CATRY: 200m – 25.73, SILVER; 60m – 7.90/7.86, SILVER
Rookie Veronica Catry ran just off her PB and the #3 ALL TIME performance in the 60m (7.85) and came back a short time later to blaze to a new QUEEN’S RECORD in the 200m, breaking Leslie Bruce’s 26.14 standard set at Cornell in 1994. Three meets, three appearances in the ALL TIME LIST – darn impressive! Veronica is easily the best rookie female sprinter in Queen’s history.
OTHER ALL TIME TOP TEN PERFORMANCES
LESLIE SEXTON: 3000m – 9:41.53, #4 ALL TIME, GOLD, PB
LEAH LAROCQUE: 1500m – 4:33.11, #4 ALL TIME, GOLD, PB
Leah is another rookie who has charged out of the gate quickly. She looked incredible cruising to this performance, just 0.11 off automatic CIS standard and based on last year’s CIS final rankings would have seen her finished the year ranked #7 in the country. Leah’s performance puts her behind another multiple CIS Champion and 1984 Olympian (8th in the Marathon) Anne Marie Malone on the ALL TIME list.
MIKEY PRIME: 200m – 23.32, #9 ALL TIME; 400m – 50.66, #4 ALL TIME, SILVER
Rookie Mikey Prime continued to post outstanding results. He’s now on the ALL TIME lists in the 200m, 300m, and 400m – not bad for a rookie!!!
OUA CHAMPIONSHIP TOP 8 PERFORMANCE
LESLIE SEXTON: 3000m – 9:41.53, #4 ALL TIME, GOLD, PB
VERONICA CATRY: 200m – 25.73, SILVER; 60m – 7.90/7.86, SILVER
LEAH LAROCQUE: 1500m – 4:33.11, #4 ALL TIME, GOLD, PB
ELIZABETH MILLER: 1500m – 4:42.11, BRONZE
Elizabeth went with Leah and hung in there the better part of the race. It was Liz’s first ever 1500m so this was a whale of an effort. Again compared to last year’s final CIS rankings this performance would have been #13 in Canada. If Liz can stay healthy (touch wood!) she is well on her way to an incredible senior season.
MICHAEL NISHIYAMA: 800m – 1:57.08
Not to be out done by his fellow rookie teammates, Michael ran a solid race to join a number of other rookies in qualifying for the OUA Championships.
DAVID BURR: 800m – 1:57.48
David paced Michael in the early stages then worked to stay with him as he came in under the 1:57.86 standard to automatically qualify for OUA’s.
MATT HULSE: 1500m – 4:01.60, GOLD
Matt punched his ticket to OUA’s coming in under the 4:02.04 standard. He lead from start to finished and was 5-seconds ahead of second place by the end of the race. A few more races under his belt, a field around him, and there’s no doubt Matt will be well under 4-min by season’s end.
HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
RUSSELL MORRISON: 400m – 51.30; 60m – 7.58
Russell put in a solid effort coming up just shy of his PB (51.20; now #7 ALL TIME). Russell gave the short stuff a go for the first time in his Queen’s career posting a very respectable 7.58 seconds.
JEN TAM: 60m – 8.17; LJ – 4.99m, GOLD; 200m – 27.25
Jen had two event results under the high performance standard (60m and 200m). She posted season bests in the 60m and long jump. Jen has never had a better year in terms of consistency in the 60m; all her efforts this year have been under 8.25, the last two meets, under 8.20.
NADIA TATLOW: 3000m – 10:35.42; SILVER
Nadia, another sensational rookie, put in a superior effort and posted a solid season starting time. She should easily eclipse the OUA TOP 8 standard before too long.
OUA STANDARDS
MICHAEL NISHIYAMA: 400m – 52.73
CHRIS BRENS: 1500m – 4:07.42, BRONZE
Chris ran just off his PB in the 1500m. Looks like he’s started off the track season on a strong note!
PIM VAN GEFFEN: SHOT PUT – 12.62m, GOLD, PB
Pim posted his best series as a Golden Gael, with all efforts over 11.50m and only his 3rd throw ever in excess of 12m, with a 12.09m effort. Pim’s big throw came in the second round.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
LIZA HOWARD: 1500m – 5:02.25, PB
Liza followed up her great season opening effort at McGill (5:07.30) with another superb run to post a 5-second PB. All indications are that she will be under 5-min and at least have the OUA standard before the season is over.
EMMA ANN YOUNG: 3000m – 10:47.13, PB, BRONZE
Emma is yet another rookie who got in on the outstanding performance wave. She looked very strong in posting a big life-time PB. This effort indicates Emma has the talent to run the OUA standard of 10:46.41 and likely much faster before the year is out.
SCOTT JOHNSON: 1500m – 4:22.14, PB
Scott ran a solid race to post a big 7-second PB.
BRETT MEINZINGER: 3000m – 9:00.27, BRONZE, PB
Brett ran a great race to come up with a huge 20-second PB. Brett’s time was just off the OUA standard of 9:00.10.
ATHLETES OF THE MEET
ROOKIES: VERONICA CATRY AND LEAH LAROCQUE AND MIKEY PRIME.
Leah just missed CIS standard; Veronica posted a QUEEN’S RECORD – two incredible performances that deserve this honour. On the men’s side Mikey Prime posted two ALL TIME TOP TEN efforts to get the nod.
VETERANS: LESLIE SEXTON: Is the one veteran clearly stood out. She had an outstanding performance, got AUTOMATIC CIS STANDARD, and now ranks among the best in school history.
PERSONAL BEST PERFORMANCES
WOMEN
- Liza Howard: 1500m – 5:02.25 old PB 5:07.30
- Leah Larocque: 1500m – 4:33.11 old PB 4:55
- Leslie Sexton: 3000m – 9:45.82 old PB 10:30.92
- Emma Ann Young: 3000m – 10:47.13 old PB 10:52
MEN
- David Burr: 800m – 1:57.48 old PB 1:57.85
- Scott Johnson: 1500m – 4:22.14 old PB 4:29.29
- Brett Meinzinger: 3000m – 9:00.27 old PB 9:20.45
- Kevin Thompson: 60m – 8.00 old PB 8.01
- Kevin Thompson: 200m – 25.15 old PB 25.76
- Pim Van Geffin: shot put – 12.62 old PB 12.13m
More...
