Athletics Ontario and the Royal Canadian Legion hosted one of the region’s largest athletic competitions on Saturday.
270 athletes, all under the age of 20, gathered on Saturday at the Laurentian University athletics center in Sudbury, for the very first qualification for the Ontario Summer Games which will begin on August 1 in London.
This is the only opportunity that young people from the North will have to face athletes from the South, in the hope of representing the province.
affirms Chris Petersof the Royal Canadian Legion.
The competition included around twenty categories, ultimately finding the 40 best athletes — both girls and boys — in the region.
The winners also have the chance to participate in the Royal Canadian Legion provincial championship, which will take place from July 11 to 13.
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The athletes hoped to qualify.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Orphée Moussongo
A wealth of opportunities
Lia Paillé finished first in the two-kilometer category for girls.
The 15-year-old from Sudbury aims to represent Canada in the future.
I want to join the Canadian Legion. I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for me because it’s a huge experience and I’ll be able to run with other girls my age
she explains.
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Lia Paillé finished first in her race and hopes to join the Royal Canadian Legion national team.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Orphée Moussongo
Cameron Gélinas also won his race, but remains cautious for future competitions.
It’s my passion…I hope to join the Ontario Legion team and maybe even Canada. In the North the competition is not very high, but I train with the Federation of Ontario Athletic Associations so we will see
he says.
The fastest children in the North
Another highly coveted title during the competition was that of the fastest child in the province.
Ontario’s governing body for athletics held eight qualifying races across the province, including in Greater Sudbury on Saturday, in an attempt to find the athlete of tomorrow.
80 young people aged 11 to 16+ competed in this category, which includes four winners.
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Nehemiah Esmie hopes to achieve more trophies than his father in the future.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Orphée Moussongo
Nehemiah Esmie, 11, finished second in his race, but is holding his head high.
I’ll just try harder next time. We must not give up because we lost
he said.
The young Sudburois aims to surpass his father, Robert Esmie, who won a gold medal in the 4x100m at the 1996 Olympics for Canada.
I know he’s one of the fastest kids in the area. He just needs to work on his behavior, his mentality and be ready to face the unknown given that there are kids playing hockey and such.
specifies the Olympic gold medalist.
At the conclusion of the legion’s provincial competition, 42 athletes from both sides will represent the province at the Royal Canadian Legion national championships scheduled for August 9-11.
