Groom bests high school counterparts at Nipissing Invitational

The Nipissing Invitational Track and Field Meet last Saturday featured a number of noteworthy performances, but none more impressive than that of a young lady not yet in high school.

Lively District Elementary Grade 8 phenom Jaclyn Groom wowed the crowd with a leap of 11.02 metres in the triple jump, more than half a metre better than the current NOSSA midget girls record of 10.46m established by none other than current two-time CIS triple jump champion Caroline Ehrhardt.

Putting the jump into context, not only did Groom record a leap that was almost two full metres further than the 2013 SDSSAA midget girls champion, but her distance would have allowed her to walk away, with ease, with both the junior and senior girls city triple jump titles.

Just for good measure, Groom also captured the midget girls 100m dash (13.17 seconds) and finished fourth in the high jump, all while still being one full year away from formally qualifying for these events.

Her performance overshadowed that of Lasalle junior jumper Ryan Taylor, who established new meet records in winning both the triple jump (13.43m) and the long jump (6.31m). In fact, Taylor currently ranks first and second among high school athletes, in Ontario, in the triple jump and long jump respectively.

Lo-Ellen middle distance junior runner Brendan Costello continues to look strong, taking both the 800m (2:13.88) and 1500m (4:39.69) distances, while schoolmate Reinhardt Grobler scooped up three gold medals, capturing the 400m (53.93), 110m hurdles (16.03) and 400m hurdles (1:01.46) in the senior boys classification.

Brooke Kennedy of Lasalle took home top spot in the junior girls 100m dash (13.30), Karly PiroPiro (St. Benedict) did the same in the 3000m race, crossing the line six seconds ahead of Delaney Johnston (Lockerby), and Kennedy Roy(Lo-Ellen) looks like a solid bet to repeat in the 80m hurdles, placing first in a time of 12.79 seconds.

Emilie Honse (JG pole vault – CND), Natasha Mayer (SG 200m – CND), Hailey Wasyliw (SG 100m hurdles - LOE) and Erin Watters (SG pole vault - LOE) rounded out the female winners representing Sudbury and area schools.

On the boys side, Oliver Ecclestone (MB 110m hurdles – LCS), Noah LaPierre (JB high jump – LAS), Willem Diesinger (SB triple jump - LCS) and Tie Pylatuk (SB 2000m steeple - SC) distinguished themselves in topping their respective fields.

North Bay native and current OHLer Brett Hargrave managed a rather unique double, back home and representing the Widdifield Wildcats. Hargrave coupled a win in the 100m dash (11.77 seconds) with a victory in the senior boys shot put (12.92m), a seldom seen combination.

The meet attracted a heavy contingent of North Bay and Temiscaming athletes in miserable conditions as locals prepare for the city high school championships taking place on May 21-22.

Next up for the majority of the local athletes is the SDSSAA relays, kicking off at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14 at the Laurentian University track.