The McMath Wildcats sizzled in the Okanagan heat for their best-ever performance at the B.C. Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships.
It began on Friday at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna when the Wildcats 4x100 senior boys relay team of Tanin Seward, Liam McLeod, Serge Serbinenko and Carson Bradley captured gold in electrifying fashion.
Bradley made up about a one metre deficit on the final leg to narrowly edge Vancouver College at the finish line with a winning time of 43.09 seconds.
Bradley then closed out his high school career with two more medals — silver in the 400 metres and bronze over 200.
McMath’s junior girls finished second in the overall team standings, doing plenty of damage on the track.
The 4x400 relay team of Sophie James, Meghan Smith, Claire Bosma and Selin Tasdemir closed out the meet Saturday afternoon by winning gold in a new provincial record time of 4:01.01. Earlier, Isabella Schaffer joined Smith, Bosma and James to win silver in the 4x100.
James added a third medal, earning silver in the 300 metre hurdles. Tasdemir added a silver in the 800.
McMath’s Grade 8 boys team was fifth overall, led by Jackson Bradley, Carson’s younger brother. He captured the 200 metres (23.86) and was second in the 400 (52.84).
Longtime Wildcats coach Bob Riddell was thrilled with his team’s performance and praised the mentorship of the Kajaks Track and Field Club where many of his athletes train.
It was also a big meet for the Richmond Christian Eagles.
Grade 12 standout Josh Woolgar, who captured the provincial cross country title last fall, won silver in the 3,000 metre race and was fourth in the 1,500.
He then joined teammates Tourvielle DeLabrouhe, Elijah Kim and Joel Ketler to win silver in the 4x400 relay.
The Eagles’ clocking was a whopping 12 seconds faster compared to their initial race two months earlier. They entered the final with the fifth fastest qualifying time and simply saved their best for last. A remarkable showing for a school with limited numbers.
Here’s a rundown of top eight performances by Richmond student athletes:
Grade 8 Boys 4x100 relay
4. McMath 49.83.
Grade 8 Girls High Jump
4. Lexi Lawson (McMath) 1.50M
Junior Women’s Shot Put
6. Vicki Wideski (McMath ) 10.87M
Grade 8 Girls Javelin
3. Kaiya Hamada (McMath) 29.61m
Grade 8 Girls 400 metres
4. Jenna Howarth (Steveston-London) 1:01.95
Grade 8 Boys 400 metres
2. Jackson Bradley (McMath) 52.84.
Junior Girls 400 Metres
4. Claire Bosma (McMath) 58.09.
Senior Boys 400 Metres
2. Carson Bradley (McMath) 48.88.
Junior Girls 1500 Metres
5. Selin Tasdemir (McMath) 4:52.04.
Senior Boys 1500 Metres
4. Josh Woolgar (Richmond Christian) 4:05.53.
Junior Girls 4x100 relay
2. McMath 51.20.
Senior Boys 4x100 relay
1. McMath 43.09
Senior Boys Long Jump
8. Elijah Kim (Richmond Christian) 6.41m.
Senior Girls Javelin
8. Kyra Bates (McRoberts) 34.64m.
Junior Girls 300 Metre hurdles
2. Sophie James (McMath) 45.82.
Senior Boys 3,000 Metres
2. Josh Woolgar (Richmond Christian) 8:55.35.
Junior Girls 800 Metres
2. Selin Tasdemir (McMath) 2:19.12.
Grade 8 Girls 800 Metres
6. Jenna Howarth (Steveston-London) 2:28.44.
Grade 8 Girls 200 Metres
6. Kaiya Hamada (McMath) 27.90.
Grade 8 Boys 200 Metres
1. Jackson Bradley (Mcmath) 23.86.
Senior Boys 200 Metres
3. Carson Bradley (McMath) 22.39.
Junior Girls 4x400 Relay
1. McMath 4:01.01.
Senior Boys 4x400 Relay
2. Richmond Christian (3:28.28).
