Bronze for Balazs
Emma Balazs won the bronze medal in the 2,000-metre steeplechase at the Canadian Junior Track and Field championships in Ste-Therese, Que. Friday.
The 19-year-old former member of the Prince George Track and Field Club who just completed her rookie season at the University of Idaho, clocked a time of six minutes 53.78 seconds to stand on the podium.
Her time was just seven seconds slower than Qubec athlete Jessy Lacourse who took the silver medal and just more than 12 seconds behind fellow 19-year-old B.C. athlete Regan Yee who won the gold medal.
Prior to junior nationals, Balazs said she planned to run the 1,500m event at the Victoria International Classic meet on Tuesday and the Harry Jerome Classic in Vancouver on Thursday.
Judokas golden in Hawaii
For Lavanna Laass and Brendan Bellavance, one can probably guarantee Hawaii is now among their favourite competition destinations.
The teenaged judokas who train at the Hart Judo Academy, both grabbed gold medals in their divisions at the U.S. Junior National championships in Honolulu Saturday.
Laass, 18, won gold in her IJF (International Judo Federation) junior under-21 female -63-kilogram division.
Bellavance, 17, won gold in the junior U21 male -100kg class.
The pair were part of a 12-member contingent from the three Prince George judo clubs.
Other Hart Judo Academy athletes, led by coach Bruce Kamstra, included Kimiko Kamstra, 13, who earned a 2-2 record. Gabe Patterson, 11, and Isaac Kamstra, 10, both posted two losses.
Four athletes from the Prince George Judo Club also competed in Hawaii, led by coach Aline Strasdin.
In the intermediate girls, Sydney Edgson, 11, posted two losses in the -42kg division, while Tami Goto, 12, posted a 1-2 record in the -38kg division.
Ryan Russell, 13, earned a 1-2 record in the juvenile A boys -48kg division, while Kyle Wilkinson, 15, suffered two losses in the juvenile B boys -60kg division.
Gabe Sakamoto was the lone competitor from the North Capital Judo Club. He suffered two losses in the -26kg division.
