JUMPING FOR JOY
Kings, West Hants athletes compete at track and field
For Chihami Kobayashi, the track and field districts were a whole new world.
Kobayashi, an international student attending Central Kings, competed in the senior girls’ hurdles, her first time doing the event, and was all smiles afterward.
“I’ve never done eight hurdles before – only three,” she said, panting a little in the chilly temperatures after her competition.
Although she came in last, that wasn’t enough to wipe the smile off her face.
“I wasn’t good but it was so much fun!”
it was the first time a number of young athletes competed at the event, which brought in competitors from across the Annapolis Valley to vie for a spot at regionals next week.
Zachary James, who crossed the finish line first for West Hants Middle School in the junior boys’ hurdles, said it was a challenging event.
“It felt like I was going to fall at the end – I stumbled a bit on the last hurdle,” he said. “I had to switch my legs a bit at the end, too, because I was tired.”
Bo Stokesbury-Price’s main sport is swimming – he’s one of several Wolfville Tritons swimmers who were recently named to Team Nova Scotia and will compete at the Canada Games in Winnipeg this summer – but track and field is a passion as well.
“I do love this – I like the competition, and just being with my school and competing,” he said. “This is good cross-training experience for me as well, which is a great help with swimming.”
Kings County Academy’s Cameron Oickle, a Grade 8 student, leapt over the hurdles with ease.
“I’ve never done this before, but it’s so much fun,” he said. “My gym teacher told me I should try it. I enjoyed it, lots of my friends are here doing it too. I’d definitely recommend it to other kids, it’s lots of fun.”