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Sparenberg returns to throwing
After five years away the St. Thomas native competes at OUAs
March 1, 2024
By Rob J. Ross
WINDSOR, Ont. - Nearly eight years ago Anij Sparenberg was standing on the podium at OFSAA track and field.
The Grade nine student at Parkside C.I. had just won the silver medal for novice girls javelin. It was June, 2017, in Belleville.
No one could have foreseen what was coming, not for Sparenberg and certainly not for the world.
Jump ahead to 2025, in her first year competing in university track and field, Sparenberg placed fourth in women's shot put (12.07m) and 10th in weight throw (12.91m), at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships, last month in Windsor.
"Crazy," expressed Sparenberg. "I didn't think I'd make OU's my first year, especially being off for five years. It's been a lot of work past six months. Shot put went very well. I came in seeded eighth, so my goal was to get one point for the team. I placed fourth, so I got five points. I didn't PB, but I was really close."
Sparenberg set PBs in both events a week earlier at a meet in Guelph, 12.09m in shot put and 14.11m in weight throw, and those results carried Sparenberg to the OUA championships.
An impressive showing, since the last time Sparenberg was throwing implements around the field was back in 2019. Last decade.
Following her OFSAA silver, Sparenberg returned to OFSAA in Grade 10, placing seventh in junior girls discus. An arm injury prevented Sparenberg from throwing javelin much. Injuries stopped Sparenberg from throwing all together in Grade 11.
Then COVID arrived, March 2020.
"I loved track. It was unfortunate in Grade 12 when COVID hit," said Sparenberg. "I got two really good years. It drew me in enough to want to come back after five years. I feel most people after five years would feel, no, it's ok, I'm not getting back into it."
Following graduation of high school, Sparenberg took a year off not wanting to begin post secondary studies online. Upon arriving at Western University, Sparenberg looked in to track and field, but missed tryouts. At that point, Sparenberg decided to focus solely on school, in the Social Science program.
"I'm glad I did, because I've had big academic success the past four years," Sparenberg said. "I'm planning to do my Masters next year."
That will be in environmental engineering.
"I've always loved geography and weather. Weather has always been my thing," said Sparenberg said. "I actually only took geography in Grade nine, but I took a geography course in my first year (at Western) and loved it. I stuck with it."
Sparenberg is also with the Northern Tornadoes Project, that studies tornadoes across Canada, aiming to better detect tornado occurrence in Canada and improve severe weather prediction.
Last summer, Sparenberg met with professors about continuing her education. One prof was Patricia Corcoran, who happened to know Sylvia Kontra, a throws coach with the Mustangs. Kontra reached out to Anij.
"I tried out and it went really well, and here we are," said Sparenberg. "I always wanted to get back into sport, something competitive and the opportunity came. When Sylvia emailed me, I thought, I can't not take it, because I'll be thinking about what could have happened. I had this year and I have two more years with my Masters. If I wasn't doing my Masters, I think it would be more like, is it worth it for just one year."
As the season started, Sparenberg made sure one person knew she was back in the circle.
"After I made the team, I text Kyle Rolph, who was my coach in high school, and said, you got me into track, so like to tell you, I'm back," Sparenberg said. "He actually came to watch me at the Don Wright meet."
Rolph watched Sparenberg throw then PBs in both shot put and weight throw.
Jumping back into competitive sports was somewhat a lifestyle change.
"It was a big switch from doing nothing for five years, to lifting four days a week and practice five days a week and competing," Sparenberg said. "It took a lot out of my body at first, to get used to it."
Now the 22-year old plans on continuing throwing during the outdoor season and certainly returning next year with Western.
"I always love the want to get better, the competition. I'm already looking forward to what I can do next year."
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