Nanaimo Track and Field Club athletes like Madison Paugh (L) and Gage Zanette (R black top) have secured a future in sport at the university level despite COVID-19 event cancellations. (Submitted Photos)

By Dan Marshall

Running With It

Nanaimo athletes living out track and field dreams despite no 2020 season

Apr 17, 2021 | 10:52 AM

NANAIMO — The continued cancellation of race meets through 2020 and into 2021 is making life tough for local athletes looking towards the future.

With almost no results in over 12 months, it’s been difficult for track and field athletes in Grade 12 to display their talents to post secondary institutions. Most universities and college in Canada and the U.S. use Grade 11 results to determine an athletes suitability for their programs.

Gage Zannette and Madison Paugh of the Nanaimo Track and Field Club have managed to secure commitments to the schools they wanted even with virtually no results in the past 13 months.

“My Grade 10 season was very good and I got a lot of the necessary times to go to where I wanted. Their whole process is different this year because they know a lot of people haven’t been able to compete,’ Zannette said.

The 17-year-old is a John Barsby secondary school student and competes in cross country which has earned him a spot at the University of Idaho in the fall.

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Zannette was able to keep his training regimen up with runs around his neighbourhood, workouts and Zoom meetings with his coach. He wasn’t able to participate in any meets but has performed some time trials.

Madison Paugh is in her Grade 12 year at Wellington Secondary.

She was also able to secure her first post secondary choice, Simon Fraser University. She’s been practicing six days a week for long jump, triple jump and the heptathlon.

“I perform better in competition than I do in practice. So not being able to have the competitions its been harder for me to get my numbers up there.”

Paugh conceded missing out on important meets like the BC high school provincials for both her Grade 11 and Grade 12 years was hard to come to grips with.

Nanaimo Track and Field Club spokesman Phillip Vannini said athletes are making the most of having no meets in 2020 and probably only intraclub or modified competition in 2021.

However the absence of actual events on the local, provincial and national stage is robbing athletes of some important life experiences.

“These are life forming events that go well beyond track and field,” said Vannini. “I remember what it was like at that time in these kids life to have those memories. They’re not going to have that and it’s quite sad.”

There is hope from the athletes and the track and field club that restrictions may loosen in time to have some competitive events this year.

Vannini stated the outdoor setting of a track meet may serve as an advantage compared to sports played indoors.

“We may not be in a position to have normal meets but will have at least some opportunities for competition, so there is optimism.”

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dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @danmarshall77