Katie Beaudry brings it home over the final 100 metres, leading the open girls 4x4 relay race, on way to an OFSAA gold medal for LDSS. (photo / Rob J. Ross)
By Rob J. Ross
Beavers regain OFSAA 4x4 gold
WINDSOR, Ont. - They led wire to wire.
That's how dominate the Lord Dorchester women's 4x400-metre relay team was winning their race, here at the OFSAA track and field championships, June 4.
From the starting pistol, with Megan Dunn blasting from the blocks, to Dana Earhart running her best leg, to Megan Beaudry passing the baton to her sister, Katie, for the bell lap, it was advantage, Dorchester.
On the final lap, the chase pack of Pickering Dunbarton, Toronto Lawrence Park and Windsor Herman, did gain some ground. But Katie Beaudry held them off, crossing the line 3:53.53, winning by almost a full second, just off their school record set during the heats.
"I was really nervous. Running fourth is stressful because it is against a lot of fast girls. I was hoping for a bit of a lead. They (team-mates) really did a good job. I wasn't expecting such a lead,' Katie Beaudry said.
It is the second gold in three years for Dorchester, sandwiching a silver medal from last season.
"We're pretty athletic and love each other. We get along really well," Katie said.
Earhart, the only one graduating this year, gained some motivation from her own hair during her run around the oval.
'I didn't feel I was running that fast, but I kept running faster because I kept seeing my braids swing up by my face, thinking it was someone else's baton," said Earhart, with a laugh. "I was thinking they were really close!"
Dorchester achieves a rare feat of medalling in both the 4x1 and 4x4 relays, with three members on both teams.
Just 24 hours earlier, Dunn and the Beaudry sisters, joined grade nine speedster, Emma McKnight, to capture a bronze medal in the senior women's 4x100-metre relay.
"A really good meet," Dorchester coach James Tennant said. "The success of the relays savages what the girls lost with their individual events."
Both Dunn and Megan Beaudry battled various leg ailments. Dunn dropped all her individual events except javelin. A year ago, Dunn ran the 200-metre final at OFSAA.
"A lot of them came into the season injured. They overcame that to have great results. Too end up where (OFSAA) we are now is amazing."
With the entire 4x1 team returning and three of four from the 4x4, potential to medal again in both relays next year is high. © 2016 Hometownplay.ca
Dorchester's 4x4 relay team, middle foursome, clockwise from top left, Katie Beaudry, Megan Dunn, Dana Earhart and Megan Beaudry, at the OFSAA medal ceremony, with Pickering Dunbarton, left and Toronto Lawrence Park. (photo / Rob J. Ross)