UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO TRACK & FIELD

Warriors compete with best at OUA Championship

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/2/2015 10:56:00 AM

 

The Waterloo Warriors had some outstanding results at the OUA Championships this past weekend at York University, including 16 lifetime personal bests and 10 results cracking the Waterloo all-time list. The Warrior women placed 7th out of 14 teams in the OUA, while the Warrior men placed 8th out of 13 teams.  This was a great result as the team is extremely young and will be growing strong in the years to come.
 
The championship meet started off with great results across the track.  In the 1000m rookie Rawle Groothuizen (Guelph) stepped up his game running almost a four second personal best of 2:33.23, placing 13th. This ranks him 10th on the UW all-time list, a tremendous first year campaign for Rawle.
 
Next up was the 60m dash. Sian Smart (Kingston) ran a lifetime personal best of 7.80 in the preliminaries, placing her 6th on the UW all-time list. Not far behind were teammatesTegan Sauer (Kitchener) (7.83) and Kelsi Darmon (Fergus) (7.99). All 3 women advanced to the semi-final round, where they ran times of 7.81, 7.86, and 7.98 respectively, and placed 10th, 12th, and 15th. This trio is back next year and will be looking to take over the final of the women's 60m at the 2016 OUA Championships.  For the men's 60m, rookieAli Elkanuni (Tipoli) finished off his season with an impressive 7.25 and just missed out on the semifinals.
 
Naomi Lance (Kitchener) had another incredible run in the 300m dash, almost tying her personal best with a time of 40.20. Lance just missed the podium, finishing 4th overall in the OUA and easily advances to the CIS Championships. Lance is currently ranked 5th in the CIS.  Lance has improved tremendously this year and is a force to be reckoned with across all long sprints.  More of Lance's stellar meet in the relays below.  Right after Lance's race, Sam Martinello (Kitchener) also stepped up in the 300m nearly tying his best in a hard fight which solidified 8th place for UW.  Sam will be looking to march up OUA ranks in the next 3yrs.  Martinello and Lance were the lone point's earners for individuals.
 
In the 600m, rookie Rachel Bronzovich (Oakville) battled to the finish for a massive lifetime personal best of 1:38.42, placing 13th. This time places her #5 on the UW all-time list.  Rachel will be one to watch, already #5 all-time as a rookie; she will be looking to take over the list in the years to come.
 
Kristen Flanagan (Kitchener) finished off her varsity career with a well-executed 1500m race that earned her a new personal best of 4:45.85 and a 19th place finish in an extremely deep field.  the 10th spot on the UW all-time list. Rookie Erin Merkley (Smith Falls) also ran a personal best in the event with a time of 4:48.55.
 
The women's 4x800m team fought extremely hard for a 6th place finish and a season's best time of 9:39.90. Flanagan and Bronzovich ran excellent legs and had the fastest splits for the ladies, running 2:20.9 and 2:23.1, both personal bests (#5 and #7 on the UW all-time list).
 
Despite a messy handoff, the men's 4x200m relay team ran a season's best time of 1:33.04. Samuel Martinello's lifetime personal best split of 22.6 was the fastest of the team, while rookies Bryton Keyes (Kitchener) and Ali Elkanuni (Tipoli) ran personal bests of 23.0 and 23.3 respectively. With the new athletes stepping up, and some top sprinters coming back from coop and injury, this team will be expected to make the CIS Championships next year.
 
The women's 4x200m – consisting of Kelsi Darmon (Fergus), Naomi Lance (Kitchener), Jenny Carrique (Kitchener), and Tegan Sauer (Kitchener) – ran an amazing season's best of 1:41.79, placing 5th overall in the OUA. This is the fastest time Waterloo has run in 15 years and puts them at #6 on the UW all-time list. Lance's blazing personal best split of 24.8 was the fastest of the team and puts her at #2 on the all-time list. Sauer also ran a personal best of 25.3, which places her at #6 on the list.  The women's 4x200m team will be making the trip to Windsor for the CIS Championships in 2 weeks' time.
 
After losing 3 athletes from the record setting team last year, the women's 4x400m team has been trying to learn how to run the event and run together all year.  At the most important meet of the year they stepped up to the plate.  The team ran an impressive season's best time of 3:56.93, just missing out on making the CIS Championships. Naomi Lance (Kitchener) dominated again, running a lifetime personal best split of 56.6, which puts her at #2 on the UW all-time list. Rachel Bronzovich (Oakville) smashed the 60 second barrier and ran a lifetime personal best of 59.1, while Jenny Carrique (Kitchener) ran a season's best of 60.3.  Watch this team next year as it will be back to its record setting ways.
 
The CIS Championships will be held from March 14-16 at the University of Windsor.