Yukon athletes in Toronto for annual track meet
Twenty-three high school students from the Yukon are in Toronto this weekend for a prestigious track meet.
Twenty-three high school students from the Yukon are in Toronto this weekend for a prestigious track meet.
The third annual Nike High School鈥圙rand Prix will take place tomorrow at the University of Toronto's Varsity Stadium.
While provincial teams see representation from individual schools, the Yukon's teams are made up of student-athletes from all three Whitehorse secondary schools.
Schools from Canada's provinces are selected on the basis of athletic and academic achievement, involvement in their school and community, and character. From there, teacher-coaches have the difficult task of whittling their team down to 13 athletes.
The territory's two teams will be known as the Yukon鈥圧ush.
The male team consists of: Devon Troke, Karter Kazakoff-Twarzynski, Dominic Korn, Malcolm Muir, Levi Johnson, Etienne Geoffroy-Gagnon, Josh Tetlichi, Mackenzie Shaw, Callum Ryan, Mac Prawdzik and Logan Harris.
The female team roster includes: Avery Bramadat, Alexis Gee, Camille Galloway, Kate Londero, Jaylene Kelly, Natalie Hynes, Zoe Painter, Hannah Milner, Eliza Paul, Solstice Sarin-Toews, Lauri Reti and Cambria Fuerstner.
Coaches are Jamie Shaw, Don White, Chris Kirk and Jeane Lassen.
In total, more than 300 athletes will lace up their spikes for the meet, which sees social events occur from today to Sunday.
Teams will hit the track tomorrow for practice sessions. Opening ceremonies will take place at 3:45 ET, and the meet will run from 4 to 9:30 p.m.
Track and field events include the 100-metre, 200-m, 400-m, 800-m and 1,500-m runs, 100-m hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, and the 4x100-m cross-provincial relay.
Athletes have been drafted into their relay teams with a mix of athletes from various provinces.
Varsity Stadium includes seating for 4,000, a 400-metre eight-lane track, and a state-of-the-art artificial turf field.
Participants will also attend an athletic banquet, and receive several surprises from Nike, including a meet and greet with affiliated athletes.
Other weekend highlights will see the athletes attend a Toronto Blue Jays game followed by a tour of the Ontario capital.
The Jays will battle the Los Angeles Angels Saturday at the Rogers Centre.
Last year's Yukon contingent returned home with a full complement of Nike training gear 鈥� including racing spikes.
Many of this year's Yukon athletes are using Twitter to share about their experience.
Supporters looking to catch some of the action as it happens can watch a live-stream feed of the track meet at the event's website http://www.highschoolgrandprix.ca/.
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