The Red Deer Titans Track and Field Club came away with multiple medals at the National Youth Legion Track and Field Championships.
The competition, which was in Sherbrooke, Que. from Aug. 5-7, is the only nationwide championship for under-16 and under-18 athletes in Canada. The Red Deer athletes competed against some of the best track and field athletes from across Canada.
Max Legault, head coach of the Red Deer Titans said they had three athletes compete at nationals and bring home three medals including a gold.
Paige Zinger is a national champion in the female U16 high jump finals after jumping 1.64 metres, which Legault said is the top jump in the country in terms of performance at the meet. Zinger is only 14 years old and captured a second silver medal in the female U16 4X100m relay.
Kaycee McKenzie also won silver in the U18 female heptathlon and Jade Cullen u18 female in shotput after she threw it 12.34m and fourth in female U18 discus throw after she threw it 33.91 metres.
“I’ve worked with Kaycee and Jade for four years getting them to this stage and this level. So seeing that come together for them was amazing as a coach,” Legault said. “In terms of Paige, I’ve worked with her for a number of years as well, and anytime you have a national champion crowned, especially dealing with a generational athlete like Paige it was also a very defining moment for her as an athlete.”
“They’ve got some big steps in front of them too because those three athletes that were at nationals are all vying for Canadian National Team spots in the next year or two as well.”
They also had eight athletes at the Western Canadian Tri-Provincial Championships on Team Alberta and a number of them medaled. Zinger won three medals, McKenzie won another medal and six other medals were handed out to other team members.
The Western Canadian Tri-Provincial Championship is a track meet with athletes from Western Canada and this year they met in Sherwood Park, Alta in July.