Arthur (AJ) Stanat, won the midget men's discus with a throw of 44.33 metres, at the TVRA track and field championships, at TD Stadium. The Parkside thrower also took gold in midget men's shot put. (photo / Rob Ross)
Personal bests help
win gold medals
Six Parkside throwers advanced from the TVRA track and field championships
four winning gold, setting personal best distances, on their way to WOSSAA
Friday, May 17, 2018
By Rob J. Ross
LONDON, ON. - Not only were the Parkside Stampeders' throwers qualifying for the next meet, they were tossing out personal best (PBs) distances.
Six throwers from Parkside Collegiate Institute produced 11 top 10 results including five gold medals, at the Thames Valley Regional Athletic track and field championships, at TD Stadium.
"We've seen some good personal bests," coach Kyle Rolph said. "The guys are a little bit ahead of where they need to be right now. They're working hard and having lots of fun."
The top 10 in each event, advance to the Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (WOSSAA) competition, May 24/25, at TD Stadium.
Arthur Stanat enjoyed dominating two disciplines for midget men, winning the discus by almost 15 metres, at 44.33 metres and shot put, by a metre and a half, with a 13.48 metre toss.
"I was pretty proud of myself for throwing over 44 metres. It's a personal best. I could have had maybe a couple more throws over 44 but at the end of the day I'm happy with what I've done," said Stanat. "I had my right arm back and that allowed me to get a lot of torque on the discus. Also not dropping my left shoulder allowed the discus to go flat and carry through the air. Those key points really helped me."
Stanat entered this season with already two years experience throwing shot and discus, a member of the St. Thomas Legion club since Grade seven.
"I was at a summer camp. I wasn't good at the running or the jumping. I turned out to be good at the throwing events and I've continued to pursue it."
Coached by his dad, Alex, a thrower himself during his high school days at East Elgin secondary school and university, Arthur is eyeing OFSAA, the high school provincial championships.
"That would be very nice if I made it all the way to there," Stanat said. "I also hope to get over 45 metres. It has been a goal for the season. Maybe 14.50 for the shot put. My personal best is just over 14 (metres). I'll keep practising to achieve those goals."
Jared Parkin and Zachary Copeland both set personal bests in each of their junior men's events.
Parkin won shot put (13.94m) and placed third in discus (46.66m), while Copeland took top spot in discus (48.17m) and was fourth in javelin (43.45m). Parkin threw discus at OFSAA last June, placing fourth at the midget level.
Zachary Copeland sets to throw in junior men's javelin, on day two of the TVRA track and field championships, at TD Stadium. Copeland placed fourth. He won junior men's discus (48.17 metres) on day one of the meet. (photo / Rob Ross)
Brady Fodor threw a PB of 12.45 metres in junior men's shot put, surprising coach Rolph.
"He came out of no where with a huge PB," Rolph said. "He was disappointed in his discus (13th place). We told him to put that frustration into shot put and he did with a huge throw. He was excited about that."
Anij Sparenberg heads to WOSSAA in three junior women's events.
Sparenberg took home gold in discus, with a best toss of 33.20 metres, placed third in shot put (10.80m) and fifth in javelin (27.21m).
Last June at OFSAA, Sparenberg was the silver medalist in midget women's javelin, with a PB of 33.04 metres and placed sixth in discus (28.99m).
Joseph Gillespie qualified seventh, in senior men's discus, with a best throw of 34.07 metres.
Rolph believes his junior throwers can advance pass WOSSAA, but the regional meet will be a test.
"Getting out of OFSAA West will be a challenge for our grade 10 guys. There's Ryan Jacklin (Wingham Madill) and Jeremy Elliott (Walkerton Scared Heart). Those guys are a couple of metres ahead of anybody around here."
The west regional meet is at Sandwich secondary school, in LaSalle, June 1-2.
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