News

Holy Redeemer Wins Big at Track & Field Meet

By Mr. Taylor
31 May

Once again, the Holy Redeemer sports program continues their winning ways – this time at the Greater Yellowhead Athletics Conference in Hinton on May 26. While there, over 30 grade 7, 8 and 9 students competing in a variety of track and field events that saw them win a total of 10 medals.

“It’s always great to see all the hard work pay off,” says Physical Education Teacher Mike McAndrews. “All the students put so much effort into their events, so they feel pretty good when they are rewarded for those efforts.”

In the intermediate category, Katie Harrison was a double-gold winner in both the 80m Hurdles and the 800m, while grade 8 boys Raymond Sweet and Daniel Carignan both won the bronze in the Javelin and the 200m respectively.
Meanwhile, in the senior girls category, grade 9 student Amber Kynoch won the silver in the Discus event. On the senior boys side, grade 9 student Mikias Yemane won the silver in the 1500m. But just as Harrison did in the intermediate category a couple of grade 9 boys did the same winning two gold ribbons for their efforts. North Biro won gold in the 800m and 1500m events, while Nicholas Miluch won gold in the 400m and High Jump.

“It feels pretty good,” says a humble Biro. “It’s very tiring running two longer distances in one day, but I kept focused and ran my race. In the end, I’m very happy with the results.”

From here, any students who finished in the top two in their events will now advance to the Track & Field Zone Meet in St. Albert on Thursday, June 3. This means that Harrison, Kynoch, Yemane, Biro, and Minuch will all continue their training for one more week.

“I know the competition will be a lot tougher,” says Biro. “But I plan to keep training, and to try to continue to get better so I can at least be competitive against some of the best grade 9 athletes in the zone. In the end, I’m just honoured to be there.” Biro also mentions that if he does win any medals, it will just be the icing on the cake of a great track and field season.

On a side note, the senior high students at Holy Redeemer also participated in their Zone Track & Field Meet a few weeks ago. Here, grade 10 student Lucas Mark won two gold medals in 1500m and 3000m events. “Lucas is an exceptional long distance athlete,” says McAndrews, referring to the fact that Mark has also won medals at the Alberta Winter Games in Cross Country Skiing. “He combines an excellent training routine with heart and determination. This combination can only lead to great things for this young athlete.”

Because of Mark’s double-gold showing, he now advances to Medicine Hat on June 3 and 4 to compete in the Alberta Schools’ Athletics Association Provincial Track and Field Championships. “It’s always great to see our students compete with the best in the province,” says McAndrews. “It speaks wonders of the talent our students possess.”

In the end, it looks like another very successful track and field season at Holy Redeemer. And with June now upon us, the sports programs will now be closing their books for the year. But fear not, the school will return in the fall refreshed and ready for another competitive year in sports.

If you would like more information on this article please feel free to contact the school at 780-723-7437.