Desert-like conditions on the weekend spurred record-setting efforts from Prince George Track and Field Club members Emma Balazs and Brooklyn Stauffer at the Kamloops Centennial meet.
Balazs, 18, a D.P. Todd student who will attend the University of Idaho this fall on a track scholarship, broke the 2,000-metre steeplechase meet record with a time of seven minutes 16.9 seconds. Balasz also brought home gold in the 1,500m race, stopping the clock in 5:46.46.
Stuffer, 12, established a new Centennial meet standard in the 300m race in her age category, finishing in 49.48. She also topped the medal podium in the 200m event.
Seven other PGTFC members were double-gold winners in Kamloops, including 19-year-old Josh Hewitt (who won the 400m and 800 m events), 18-year-old Zac Matyas (1,500m and 5,000m), 17-year-old Carly Frenkel (long jump and triple jump), 16-year-old Carlee Campbell (high jump and javelin), 15-year-old Omar Medina (200m and long jump), 13-year-old Amanda Heinze (shot put and javelin), and 10-year-old Casidy Campbell (shot put and javelin).
Other Prince George gold medalists were 12-year-old Rachel Kidd (high jump), 13-year-old Ekaterina Schulte (discus), 11-year-old Tanner Matheson (shot put) and nine-year-old Colin Stauffer. (60m run).
n Prince George will host the North Central zone track and field championships this Thursday and Friday at Masich Place Stadium. The club is also gearing up to host the annual Spruce Capital meet, June 8-9.
n On Saturday, mid-distance runner Gary Reed, who won silver in the 800m event at the 2007 world championships and was fourth in the event at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, will be in Prince George for the Gary Reed Track Camp on Saturday at Masich Place Stadium. Reed retired from the national team in 2010 and now lives in Vancouver. The camp is open to athletes aged 11-19, with all proceeds to be used to fund athlete development in the northern B.C.
