The loneliness of the long distance jumper
Jacob Malaryk of Blessed Trinity Secondary School competes in the junior boys long jump at the Zone 4 Track and Field Championships at the Niagara Olympic Club.
Rowan Thomas continues to branch out.
The 16- year- old Governor Simcoe student, already an accomplished high jumper and triple jumper, has added the hurdles to her events this season.
“I’ve always been fast and always been a jumper so I just kind of put it together and figured I might be OK at it,” Thomas said Thursday at the Zone 4 high school track and field championship at Niagara Olympic Club. “It’s going pretty good. I’ve haven’t competed much but it’s gone pretty well for just starting out.”
Thomas, who placed third in the junior girls 200-metre hurdles Thursday after a similar finish the week before at the preliminary meet, admits it’s a lot of work.
“Just getting all the technique down. It’s all pretty new and it is a pretty hard event to get all the concepts down,” she said.
Thomas has worked endlessly with her long-time coach, Ryan Rumsby of the Royal Athletic Club.
“We do a lot of walk-overs and we’ll go over one and then add another one and then another one after that,” she said. “It’s kind of building blocks.”
Thomas said her first few experiences with the hurdles were daunting.
“At first it was pretty scary. I’m a jumper so I was going pretty high over them which losses a lot of your speed so eventually you go a little lower and you hit one and it hurts but eventually you get the right height,” she said.
Thomas should also be in the running for medals at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) meet in triple jump and high jump.
She was awarded a silver last year at OFSAA in the triple and was fifth in high jump.
“I think it’s around the same competition so I think it’s still possible,” she said, when asked about her chances now that she has moved up to junior.
Thomas began jumping in Grade 4 the urging of Rumsby.
Their work together, coupled with some natural athletic ability, seems to be the perfect combination.
“A lot of it is natural, your body type, your athleticism,” she said. “A big portion of it is technique so with the right coach you can get pretty far.”
Thomas is also a travel soccer and hockey player.
“I’m still picking what sport to do,” she smiled. “I don’t really know if I could stick to one sport yet. I’m still deciding which one I like the best. I don’t want to lean any one way.”
Transfer pays off
Tyler Walicki would love nothing more than to go out on top.
The 17-year-old, Grade 12 student at Laura Secord would like to get back to OFSAA after failing to qualify last season. Two years ago in Grade 10, he placed 14th at OFSAA in the javelin.
“It would be nice. It’s my last year of throwing. It would end off the year good,” Walicki said, of medalling at the Ontario’s.
Laura Secord coach Cindy Crosbie figures Walicki stands a decent shot at achieving his goal.
“It’s his last year. He tried all different sports and ended up throwing all three sports but really took an interest in javelin,” Crosbie said. “He bought his own javelin and has been throwing really well. He’s hitting the high 40s right now.”
Walicki began throwing when he transferred from Eden.
“I started javelin in Grade 10 when I moved to Secord and did the discus and shot put as well,” he explained. “People always told me I had a good arm. I just tried it and I guess it worked out.”
Walicki admits the throwing disciplines — particularly the javelin — are more difficult than they look.
“It’s hard. It has to be precise,” he said. “It’s hard to explain. There are so many things that need to go right to have a perfect throw.”
Walicki prefers the javelin over the other two.
“I think it’s more of a typical throwing motion, like when you throw a baseball,” he said. “The discus is like a spinning and the shot put is a put. It’s (javelin) is more of a natural throw.”
Walicki, who plans to attend Mohawk College next season and study building renovations, loves the rush of competing.
“It’s a relaxing event. When you get up there and start throwing you get your adrenaline going and you’re nervous,” he said. “After you throw it, it all just releases and it’s a good feeling.”
Next up
The top five individuals and relay teams advance to Southern Ontario Secondary School ( SOSSA) Thursday, May 21 at NOC. The top five at SOSSA then go on to the South Regionals May 28 and 29 at Chinguacousy Park in Brampton. OFSSA is scheduled for June 4-6 at the University of Toronto.
A lot of it is natural, your body type, your athleticism. A big portion of it is technique so with the right coach you can get pretty far.” Rowan Thomas