Just call them them the cool kids.
Four girls from the Tumbler Ridge Kodiaks, and a solitary boy from South Peace in Dawson Creek, competed in the 1,500 metre racewalk event Thursday during the North Central Zone High School Track and Field Meet at Masich Place Stadium.
Kodiaks coach LInda Helm said racewalking isn't a typical sport among high school students but the athletes who excel work hard and enjoy it.
"It looks funny but the kids that look past that are special kids," said Helm about the Olympic sport. "Racewalking sometimes gets a bad rap because, I think people think it's just walking so it can't be that hard, but once the kids try it they take a lot of pride in it."
Competitors always need to keep one foot flat on the ground or risk disqualification and walk with straight, but not locked, legs which causes them to waddle. But anyone who thinks it's easy likely hasn't tried it themselves.
Kelly Fry, a Grade 9 student in Tumbler Ridge had what appeared to be an insurmountable lead on her teammates through most of the race but wound up finishing last among the five racewalkers.
"We had a long trip coming down here and she was missing her throw in the javelin so she was probably stressed at the start of the race," said Helm. "Sometimes a mental thing can surpass your physical abilities. She has loads and loads of potential and she can certainly have much better results."
Fry finished 18th of 22 racewalkers at the 2012 high school provincial championship and is following in the footsteps of her older sister Crystal who was competitive with the athletes in the south during her high school days.
"When you have athletes who have performed really well at a high level in a small town other kids notice and they realize that with hard work they can be every bit as good as the kids down south," said Helm.
The Kodiaks racewalkers all compete in cross-country running in the fall which transfers well into the sport due to its endurance.
"It's hard work but they're not scared of hard work," said Helm.
Fry, a juvenile competitor, will receive another opportunity at the provincial championship, May 31 and June 1 in Langley because she was the only racewalker in her age category.
Carey Tolmay benefited from Fry's mental meltdown to finish first in her first ever racewalking event.
"I guess she was kind of off today, I think that's how I beat her," said Tolmay, a senior competitor. "Most days I wouldn't have because she's a really good racewalker and a really good competitor. I'm just relieved. It's a lot of work in training and it just all paid off."
The other two Kodiaks were junior athletes Joey Watt and Allison Frenette. Watt had to dropout of the race due to sore ribs that she injured last weekend in a quad accident. Watt said it was disappointing but she was still able to qualify for the provincial competition in shotput and discus.
The north central zone meet continues today at Masich Place Stadium starting at 8 a.m.
