Parkside's Anij Sparenberg unleashes during midget women's discus at the TVRA track and field championships, at TD Stadium. (photo / Rob J. Ross)
Friday, May 12, 2017
By Rob J. Ross
LONDON, Ont. - At earlier invitational meets this season, throwers from Parkside CI were consistently placing in the top five.
That didn't change at the Thames Valley Region Athletics (TVRA) track and field championships, at TD Stadium, where seven Parkside throwers had top five results.
The top 10 in each event at TVRA qualify for the Western Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (WOSSAA) meet, May 18/19, right back here.
Parkside sends 10 athletes in 13 throwing events to WOSSAA.
Four were event winners - Anij Sparenberg in midget women's javelin, Jared Parkin in midget men's discus, Chase Cookson, in junior men's discus and Payton Brodie, in senior women's javelin.
"Our throwing team is as good or better than it has been since I've been there," said throws coach Kyle Rolph, who has been at Parkside for six years. "All my throwers are young so we'll be in great shape for awhile."
Sparenberg won her javelin event with a best throw of 27.92 metres, over a metre and a half more than Willow Smith, from Woodstock Huron Park.
The distance would have placed Sparenberg seventh, in both the junior and senior women's divisions.
But the grade nine athlete almost didn't make it from the preliminary round.
"My first two throws were flat so I almost didn't make it into the top eight. My third throw was almost flat, but it was 23 (metres) and got me into the top 10, so I had three more throws," said Sparenberg. "We (with coach Rolph) changed how I was throwing. Instead of throwing it really far, I just focused on loosely throwing it so it would stick in."
Sparenberg had her challenges in discus too, but her 29.16 metre toss placed her right behind London Banting Lucy Tessyman's mark of 29.32 metres.
"I've been struggling a bit lately. My throws have been going out and I've been fumbling my release. So today I was really happy because I got a couple good throws in," Sparenberg said. "I didn't do a full throw. I did a south African. It's different. Instead of swinging your leg you just take two steps. It gave me a better chance to focus on my release, rather than my spinning."
Parkside's Jared Parkin placed fourth in midget men's shot put on day one of the TVRA track and field championships, at TD Stadium. On day two, Parkin won discus. (photo / Rob J. Ross)
Rolph describes Sparenberg as a real competitor who is mentally strong and has a drive to do her best.
"She is a quick learner and is becoming better at identifying what needs correcting in her throws. Then she works hard to make those corrections on subsequent throws," Rolph said. "I'm not surprised she's doing so well, and it's really exciting especially since she's only just starting out."
Sparenberg's interest in discus and javelin came via another sport that features throwing.
"I play softball so I thought I would try it because I throw," said Sparenberg, who plays with the competitive fastball tournament team, St. Thomas Steam.
Parkin won midget men's discus (39.2 metres), a day after a fourth place result in shot put (10.68 metres).
Cookson followed up his first place toss in junior men's discus (49.27 metres), with the second best throw in javelin (45.99m).
On day one, Brodie won senior women' javelin, with a throw of 29.67 metres.
Zachary Copeland placed second, behind Parkin, in midget men's discus (38.09m), fourth in javelin (34.75m), as well as a ninth place finish in the 100-metre sprint.
Fellow PCI throwers moving on: Jackson Medeiros, fifth, senior men's javelin; Steven Fodor, eighth, junior men's shot put; Joseph Gillespie, third, junior men's discus, ninth, shot put; Dennis George, seventh, junior men's discus, Mack Watson, 10th, midget men's javelin.
Other Parkside qualifiers: Kenzie Smyth, second, 80-metre hurdles, second high jump, seventh, long jump; Michael Roth, second, midget men's 400m; third, 200m, fourth, 100m; Cassidy Kent, fourth, senior women's 200m, sixth, 100m; Jackson Molyneux, fifth, midget men's high jump; Samantha Brown, sixth, midget women's 200 metres; Ryan Long, seventh, senior men's long jump, eighth, 110-metre hurdles; Liam Wiltsie, ninth, open men's 2-km, steeplechase, 10th, midget men's 3000m; Maddie King, 10th, midget women's 800m; senior men's 4x100-metre relay team, ninth.