Simon Nemethy couldn't be caught.
Nemethy, a Grade 8 student at Vanderhoof's Nechako Valley secondary school and a member of the Prince George Track and Field Club, ran to double gold at the B.C. high school track and field championships in Langley on the weekend. Competing against his peers, the 14-year-old was unbeatable in the 1,500-metre and 3,000m distances.
In Friday's 1,500m race, Nemethy posted a winning time of four minutes 29.93 seconds - 12 seconds faster than his clocking at the recent zone championships at Masich Place Stadium - and beat Trey Ferrence of Semiahmoo secondary school (4:35.13) across the finish line. In Nemethy's provincial victory, he also set a new school record. He bettered the old mark, held by Ross Wiens (2002), by two seconds.
Nemethy was back on the track for Saturday's 3,000m event. In that one, he crossed the line in a time of 9:54.48, well ahead of second-place runner Chris Fisher of Brooks secondary school, who stopped the clock at 10:05.36.
Two other PGTFC athletes also came home with provincial medals. Lindsay King of PGSS earned silver in the junior girls 3,000m hurdles, while D.P. Todd's Ryan Gaiesky grabbed silver in the senior boys 110m hurdles.
Several athletes from the north central zone posted top-10 results at the championships. They included: Gaiesky, fourth, senior boys 400m hurdles; Alex Nemethy (NVSS), fifth, senior boys 2,000m steeplechase; Carolina Hiller (College Heights), seventh, senior girls 400m run; Emma Floris (NVSS), eighth, senior girls 200m dash, and ninth, senior girls 100m dash; Charel Karier (PGSS), ninth, senior boys 400m hurdles; Konrad Teetzee (Correlieu), ninth, senior boys 200m dash; Shelby Jansen, (PGSS), fourth, junior girls 400m run, and sixth, junior girls 200m dash; and Tyson Parker (Quesnel), sixth, Grade 8 boys triple jump, and sixth, Grade 8 boys 100m hurdles.
