Brentwood College School athletes dominated the Island High School Track and Field Championships in Port Alberni last Wednesday and Thursday.
Brentwood athletes brought home six gold medals from the meet, and combined for 14 top-five results that qualified for the provincial championships in Surrey later this week.
Madison Heisterman finished first in both the senior girls 800m and 1500m, with times of 2:13.09 and 4:38.83, respectively. Her brother, Keaton Heisterman, also claimed gold medals in the junior boys 800m and 1500m, with times of 1:59.12 and 4:04.14, respectively.
Also topping the podium for Brentwood were Liam Stephenson in the senior boys discus (36.98m) and Siôn Griffiths in the senior boys javelin (53.47m).
Three other Brentwood athletes qualified for provincials in multiple events: Ope Remi-Adelasoye finished second in the senior boys 110m hurdles (17.56) and fifth in senior boys 200m (24.13), Tony Else was third in the junior boys shot put (12.00m) and fifth in long jump (5.47m), and Reece Fougner-Rukus placed fifth in the junior girls 80m hurdles (13.79) and fifth in triple jump (9.68m).
Ayo Ogunlade finished third in the senior boys discus (31.91m) and the Brentwood senior boys 4x100m relay team placed fifth with a time of 47.38.
Cowichan Secondary also collected four gold medals, including two by Emma Dewit, who placed first in the senior girls 100m (12.84) and 200m (26.71), and also finished third in shot put (8.92m).
Jessica Castle won the junior girls 1500m steeplechase (5:46.79) and placed third in the 1500m (5:11.91). Matt Day also won gold for Cowichan in the junior boys high jump (1.75m). Nick Young took bronze in the senior boys shot put (10.39m).
From Chemainus Secondary, Kaz Bannister placed first in the junior girls 100m (12.71) and fifth in the 200m (27.54), and Jaymi Wallace was fifth in senior girls shot put (8.20m).
Queen of Angels School had just one athlete qualify for provincials, but Gabrielle Austin did so in two events, placing fifth in both the senior girls long jump (5.56m) and triple jump (9.53m).
Frances Kelsey’s qualifying results both came in relays, as the junior girls team finished fourth in the 4x100m (54.32), and the junior boys placed fifth in the 4x400m (4:00.77).
Grade 8 athletes were also competing in Port Alberni, but with different stakes. Instead of the top five qualifying, the top 25 from across B.C. are invited to compete at the provincial meet.
Following a trend set by the senior and junior athletes from his school, Brentwood’s Sam Levasseur won all three of his events at Islands, placing first in the boys 100m (12.18), 200m (25.58), and 400m (55.97).
Cowichan Secondary’s contingent was led by triple-medallist Margo Blumel, who placed first in the girls high jump (1.30m), and third in both the 800m (2:52.82) and 1500m (5:43.32).
Jessalyn Fielden-Diaczuk placed third in high jump (1.10m), Ashley Poppe was fifth in shot put (7.08m), Amelia Cannon finished seventh in the 100m (14.59), and Mya Smith was seventh in the 200m (31.88). Cow High also placed fifth in the Grade 8 girls 4x100m relay (59.16).
Also from Cowichan Secondary, Logan Groicher took bronze in the Grade 8 boys 800m (2:35.50) and sixth in both high jump (1.40m) and javelin (24.55m); Graeme Dailey was third in javelin (28.92m), fourth in the 400m (1:07.68) and seventh in shot put (22.06m); and Roman House placed fourth in the 1500m (5:20.16).
Frances Kelsey’s Brandon Leblanc placed second in the Grade 8 boys high jump (1.60m) and third in long jump (5.08m). Ryley Gillis was seventh in the 800m (3:11.83), Van West was seventh in high jump (1.40m), and Max Vaesen finished eighth in javelin (21.37m). Emily Carlson took third in the Grade 8 girls 100m (13.57), and Jessica McCallum was fourth in the 400m (1:25.34)
From Queen of Angels School, Charlie Roberts placed fourth in the girls 3000m (13:41.48) and sixth in the 1500m (6:42.87), and Emma-Gail Woike was fifth in the 100m (14.29) and discus 15.73m, and seventh in long jump (4.12m). Easton Iverson placed fifth in the boys 400m (1:07.85).
Lake Cowichan School had two medallists in the Grade 8 ranks as Devon Clayton was second in shot put (10.18m) and Chloe Blume finished third in triple jump (8.38m). Clayton also placed fifth in triple jump (9.53m) and seventh in long jump (4.42m), and Blume also finished sixth in the 200m (31.36) and eighth in long jump (3.87m).
Chemainus Secondary’s Jace Hamm placed fourth in shot put (10.08m). Laine Hogstead was fifth in the 3000m (11:55.33) and long jump (4.81m), and Richard Kim was fifth in shot put (9.58m) and seventh in javelin (23.85m).