By Lev Rourke
Katie Reid, the 16-year-old from Surrey, won the Junior women’s 400 over the weekend to become one of eight British Columbians to qualify for Canada’s team at this summer’s World Juniors Championships.
Reid ran 53.47 to win the Trials, held in Moncton, New Brunswick. Moncton will also be the site for the Worlds, to be held July 19-25. Reid, who runs for Richmond Kajaks, was also 4th in the 200 in 24.33, so presumably will be in both relay pools for Canada.
BC also is sending one other sprinter, Shai-Anne Davis, also of the Kajaks. Davis won the women’s 100 in 12.04, into a headwind, after a PR of 11.71 in the prelims. Davis was also 3rd in the 200, in 24.25.
One other Kajak made the squad: Joanna Franke-Kuhn, 18-year-old from Duncan, won the hammer with a lifetime best of 52.10 (170-11). The others from BC are Jared Heldman (Langley/Valley Royals), decathlon; Django Lovett (Langley/Valley Royals), high jump, best of 2.17 (7-1 ½); Holly Parent (Victoria/Washington State University), high jump (5-11 ½); Tiffany Perkins (Abbotsford), javelin (155-7), and Alyx Treasure (Prince George), high jump (5-11 ½).
A number of other British Columbians just missed in the national trials. Among those finishing in the top five in their events were Cody Parker, 3rd in the javelin; Tom Willcox, 2nd in the shot and 5th in the discus; Lauren Stuart, 3rd in the hammer; Spencer Prince, 4th in the hammer and 5th in the shot; Adam Keenan, 5th in the hammer and 4th in the disc; Travis Vugtereen, 3rd in the 800; Robert Gallaugher, 3rd in the long jump; David McKay, 2nd in the vault; Aleisha Cobb, 2nd in the LJ, and Justine Johnson, 4th in the 1,500.
In all, a squad of 59 athletes from throughout Canada was selected for the meet, which is limited to athletes under 20.