Local athletes battled it out Wednesday in the annual Area Track and Field meet at Lindsay Thurber.
On the line was a trip to the Central Alberta Athletic Association zone championships next Wednesday, with the top two athletes in each event earning a qualifying spot.
The host school was well represented in the individual aggregate winners, with three Lindsay Thurber Raiders finishing first overall in their age group, as well as three in a five-way tie.
For the second straight year, Raiders athlete Hannah Wirtanen picked up top spot in her age group. After winning in the junior ranks last year at areas, Wirtanen won the intermediate age group with 32 points this year. She won the 3000m, the 1500m and was second in the shot put.
“It was really fun, I liked the atmosphere, it was very encouraging and overall it went very well,” she said.
“Today was good for the confidence, it was nice to get some times in because as of now you don’t really have any. And you have an idea of where you’re headed and the season is looking good now.”
Raiders’ Jamie Lalor was the top senior girl and Will Moir was the best intermediate male. Lindsay Thurber senior boys Josh Campbell, Nathaniel McIntosh, Jeremiah Lauzon tied for first in the aggregate with Will Cebuliak (Hunting Hills), and Illya Omelyanchuk (Notre Dame).
The top junior girl was Shianna Duda of Hunting Hills, with Shynelle Woroniuk (Notre Dame) finishing second and Corbynn Fujimoto (Lindsay Thurber) in third.
Jared Howse was second in the intermediate boys individual rankings and Owen Pimm of Lindsay Thurber finished third.
Notre Dame’s Sam Jansen was the top junior boy, with teammate Robert Taylor second and Joel DeMale (Hunting Hills) in third.
Wirtanen added that it’s always great to compete on home turf and it helped the team in particular at areas. She hopes that next week at zones, with some stronger competition, that she can still bring her A-game.
“Hoping to improve all my times and hopefully break 10 (metres) on my shot put, that would be nice,” she added.
“We’ve had some awesome times and awesome throws, some girls PB’d in the javelin, so it’s awesome.”
Lindsay Thurber will host the Central Alberta Athletic Association Zone Track and Field meet next Wednesday.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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