A nine-year-old runner from Cowichan Bay had two of the best races in B.C. history for her age group at the B.C. Junior Development Track and Field Championships in Surrey late last month.
Alexa Dow’s times of two minutes and 4.28 seconds in the 600m and 3:40.58 in the 1000m were both among the top 10 times in the province over the last 15 years for her division. Dow took gold in the 1000m and silver in the 600m at the meet in Surrey on July 30 and 31.
In her first year of competitive running, Alexa trained with the CVAC Jaguars from April to June, then alongside her dad in July as she prepared for the provincial championships. She represented the CVACs at meets in Victoria, Port Alberni, Nanaimo and Comox this spring and was undefeated in the 100m, 600m and 1000m races.
“Every time she has stepped on the track this year she has run a personal best in all of her events,” Alexa’s mom, Andrea Dow, said.
Alexa also won gold medals in long jump, shot put and her three running events at the Dogwood meet in Victoria.
Andrea praised the volunteers at the CVAC Jaguars for the work they do to help young people like Alexa.
“The CVACs Jaguars program really ignited her passion for track and field this year,” she said.
Another CVAC athlete, Aisha Werner, also competed at the provincial meet in Surrey, putting up the fifth-best times in the 13-year-old girls 100m and 200m (13.43 and 28.15 seconds, respectively) and the sixth-best in the 300m (45.89 seconds).