Moore sets record in hurdles
Sandwich’s Moore sets new mark at WECSSAA track and field championships
Karlie Moore continues to push her way through the Windsor and Essex County Secondary Schools Athletic Association hurdles record books.
The second-year runner for the Sandwich Sabres set the midget girls’ record in the 300-metre hurdles a year ago.
On Tuesday, the 15-year-old Moore added the junior girls’ record to her resume on the first day of competition at the WECSSAA track and field championships, which were held at the Robert Carrick Complex.
“I was trying to get it again this year because I knew it was 45 (seconds) and I’d already run faster than that last year,” Moore said. “I wanted to get it, so I was going for it, but I wasn’t sure it was going to happen.”
Moore ran 46.51 to set the record last year and eventually lowered that time to 44.41 in winning a bronze medal at OFSAA. She bettered that mark in taking Wednesday’s junior girls’ race in a record time of 44.39.
“Oh, that was so good,” Moore said. “I’m really happy. My goal’s to get under 43 (seconds this season) or low 43’s, so that’s really good for this point.”
Moore broke the old mark of 45.92, which was set by St. Anne’s Charelle Anobile in 2004. Moore gave credit to Holy Names’ Jerriah Kelly, who was second in the event and would also have broken the old mark with a time of 44.99.
“I was really scared before it started,” Moore said. “I was nervous because (Kelly’s) been coming hard at me this year.”
The two are clubmates with the Border City Athletics Club along with Sandwich teammate Andrey LaFontaine.
“If I didn’t have clubmates like Jerriah and Andrey, who was also in that heat, I wouldn’t be as fast as I am because we push each other in practice all the time,” Moore said.
She had a shot at a second record in the junior girls’ 4x100metre relay. Moore ran the second leg with the Sabres winning in 50.45, which was just off the old mark.
“I do (look at records) and it would be nice to get them, but we just have to run our hardest,” Moore said. “I completely tripped over there, but it was OK.”
The Herman Green Griffins did set a new record in the senior girls’ 4x100-metre relay.
A year ago, the Herman foursome of Tanay Freckleton, Jada Jackson, Taneidra Cain and Adi Traore won OFSAA gold in the event, but did not set a record at WECSSAA.
“Last year, for WECSSAA, it wasn’t the greatest,” the 17-yearold Freckleton said. “This year, we wanted revenge.”
It was a rough start with a false start by Sandwich putting the field on warning, but Freckleton, who ran the lead leg, remained calm in the starting blocks.
“Coming out and hearing the gun, it’s kind of nerve-racking because if you’re the one that messes up, you mess it up for the whole team,” Freckleton said. “You just have to kind of shake it off and run your own race.”
Once the race got going, the Green Griffins cruised to the win and the record in 48.42. That broke the old mark of 50.14, which was first set in 2003 by Brennan’s Magda Orzylowski, Jessie Plante, Meghan Fall and Leah Smitham and equalled in 2013 by Essex’s Taylor Ross, Madeline McCloskey, Tori Roovers and Sierra Wolfe.
“We kind of wanted it,” Freckleton said. “Last year we didn’t have our fourth runner (Traore) running (at WECSSAA). We had our alternate because we wanted (Traore) to be safe for regionals and OFSAA.
“Now, she feels much healthier. It was a good job.”
If I didn’t have clubmates like Jerriah and Andrey ... I wouldn’t be as fast as I am because we push each other.