Red Deer College’s Jordanna Cota crossed the finish line as the top runner in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference.
Cota finished first in the ACAC women’s provincial championship race Saturday at Red Deer College with a time of 24 minutes and 13 seconds.
“I couldn’t have done it without my team,” said Cota. “We’re all in it together and coming out with an ACAC banner is what it’s all about.”
It was a bitter-sweet moment for Cota, as this was her last race at RDC. Nationals will be her final race as a collegiate athlete.
“I’ve done this for five years,” Cota said. “I want to go out as hard as I can and give everything I’ve got. I hope I can contribute back to the team in the future.”
The RDC women’s team finished first among seven teams and will now head to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s national championship in Quebec in two weeks.
“I’m really excited for it. It’s my last chance to be a part of the CCAA community,” said Cota. “It’s definitely going to be a much different race out there. There’s going to be girls running in a pack with me … but it being close always makes things better. It’s better to run on a pack then on your own.”
The men’s track team will also make the trip to Quebec after finishing third at provincials.
Devon Gurney, a second-year runner on the men’s team, said he couldn’t contain his excitement when it was announced the team finished third.
“Our whole season has built up to us finishing third in this race,” he Gurney said. “When we heard we were third it was like euphoria. Everything we had worked for this season allowed us to achieve what we wanted to achieve.”
Gurney said the provincial race was the most nerve-wracking race he’s ever been in. He isn’t too nervous for the national race, he added.
“We know we aren’t competing for a top spot at nationals, so we just want to have fun and be there to support the girls when they run,” he said.
Kari Elliott, RDC track coach, said she couldn’t be prouder of her team.
“It’s the best possible case scenario that could have happened. This is what we were shooting for all season long,” she said.
Elliott praised both team’s runners, especially Cota.
“She just destroyed that course today and ran so well,” she said.
Elliott said RDC’s top men’s runner cramped up and didn’t finish as high as he could have. But the team’s depth was able to lift the team to third.
The team will hit the track to prepare for nationals soon, Elliott added.
“For the women, we’re shooting for gold at the CCAA and the men could definitely finish top 10. We’ll celebrate now, but we practice hard Monday morning,” she said.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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