St. David athlete tops OFSAA West record
LONDON — Breaking a record didn’t cross her mind.
Alissa Melvin simply wanted to fight through an injury, turn in a decent performance and qualify for next week’s Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations track and field championships in Belleville. She did that and more. The St. David Catholic Secondary School student won the senior girls’ triple jump competition in record fashion Friday at the OFSAA West championship at TD Stadium. Melvin nailed a 12.12metre effort on her third attempt to edge the old mark 12.11, set in 1996 by Monique Haan of London Christian.
Just for good measure, Melvin turned in a 12.23m hop, step and jump on her fourth try to beat her own record. She went 12.19 on her fifth attempt, making it three straight times she had beaten Haan’s 21-year-old record.
Melvin, who’ll attend Oregon State University later this year, said she had no idea a record was within her grasp.
“Honestly, no. I pulled my quad last week at CWOSSA (Central Western Ontario championship) and it’s been all about getting physio every day and massages just to get through it,” she said.
“I haven’t broken 12 (metres) since last summer, so this comes as a complete surprise.”
Melvin was also pleasantly surprised to learn the former record holder was in attendance at TD Stadium and took a moment to congratulate her.
“She said: ‘Congratulations, it was awesome watching you,’’’ said Melvin. “You see these names and wonder about who these people are, so it was nice to meet her.”
Melvin hopes even better results are around the corner as she tries to qualify for the Canadian team that will compete at this summer’s Junior Pan American Games in Peru. The standard is 12.50 and is hopeful she can hit the target by the June 25 deadline.
A large contingent of Waterloo Region athletes punched their tickets to OFSAA by turning in top-four performances on the first day of the two-day meet.
Another highly-regarded triple jumper, Ryan Taylor of Huron Heights, will be going for a record of his own next week in the senior boys’ competition.
The future Central Michigan University student-athlete has been slowed by an ankle injury during the current high school season, but plans on going for broke at OFSAA.
He won Friday’s competition with a 14.72m effort — Kenny Siharath of Cameron Heights was second at 13.68 — but did so with a short approach of 13 strides (26 metres.)
Taylor said he’ll go with a full 17-stride attack (36 metres) next week in hopes of securing the title that has eluded him in two previous attempts.
Congratulations, it was awesome watching you. ALISSA MELVIN, ST. DAVID
The existing OFSAA mark of 15.76m was set in 1982 by George Wright, of Vaughan Road Collegiate Institute.
“I’ve always wanted to be the OFSAA senior boys champion and that hasn’t happened, so that’s one of the goals next week,” said Taylor, a fifth-year student.
Another goal would be to beat the 14.90m standard that will be required for Taylor to represent Canada in Peru.
Adam Exley, of Resurrection, took a step toward repeating as OFSAA champion by winning the junior boys’ 100m hurdles in 13.73 seconds. Jonah McPhee, of Waterloo Collegiate, was second in 14.31.
Exley, who will compete in the long jump and 300m hurdles Saturday, didn’t hesitate when asked about his hopes for next week.
“OFSAA gold in all three,” he said. “Why not?”
McPhee, who said he doesn’t put much effort into training and lists basketball and golf as his favourite sports, is hopeful of pulling off an upset.
“I know Adam is very good, so I was hoping for second today …. But maybe I can beat him next week,” he said.
Joshua Jackson, of St. Mary’s, was also a first-place finisher Friday, winning the junior boys’ 400m dash in 50.80 seconds.
Ryley Forbes, of Jacob Hespeler, was also a winner in the junior boys’ division, taking the shot put with a 16.13m toss.
John Fish, of Sir John A. Macdonald, won the senior boys’ 1,500m race in 4:01.54, three spots ahead of Marcus Kemp, of St. Mary’s.