Ava competed in the 3,000-metre race in Langley during the BC High School Track and Field provincials on June 9 where she won gold. (Athleticpics.ca, courtesy of Sheri Gauthier)

By Jordan Davidson

go the distance

‘Leave it all on the track:’ Nanaimo long-distance runner ready to take her mark at BC Summer Games

Jul 3, 2022 | 6:01 AM

NANAIMO — She’ll be one of the youngest competitors in her field, but a local runner is preparing to hit the finish line hard.

Ava Gauthier, 13, will lace up her running shoes and represent Nanaimo at the 2022 BC Summer Games in Prince George beginning July 21.

Student and member of the Nanaimo District Secondary School track group, Ava found her love for running in the third grade when she signed up for her first track meet.

“I did every single event when I started, but I ended up liking the long-distance running… it gave me the challenge to try to keep up a good pace for a longer time. ”

She is also part of the Nanaimo Track and Field Club and trains multiple times a week.

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Her hard work has already paid off this year, picking up a silver medal in the 1500 metre steeplechase at the Elwood Wylie Memorial Meet in Nanaimo in May.

Then just over a week later, she brought home a gold medal for her grade in the 3,000 metre event at the BC High School Track and Field Championships in Langley on June 8.

With a personal running time of around 11 minutes for the 3,000 metre run, Ava tries to keep her mind focused on the race.

“A lot of things go through your head, but kind of like, thinking of what I want to do on the next lap, and what position I’m in and how I can try to get up further in front of the other girls.”

Her strategy for winning is pretty straightforward: run the first lap hard, settle into a good pace, and then turn on the afterburners in the final lap to pull ahead.

“It’s pretty tiring, but you just got to try and leave it all on the track. You don’t want to have anything left at the end or wish you went harder than you did.”

Her impressive showing at the Elwood Wylie meet helped secure her place at the BC Summer Games, where she’ll participate in the U16 category in the 1,200 metre and 2,000 metre races, along with the 1,500 metre steeplechase.

She’s not old enough yet to compete in the 3,000 metres.

With her birthday not until December, Ava will likely be one of the youngest athletes in her division, which only inspires her further.

“It’s going to be a good challenge to run with a lot of faster girls in B.C… I’m not sure if I’ll be the youngest or not, but definitely one of the youngest.”

While she’s looking forward to summer where she can focus on her running, Ava told NanaimoNewsNOW she plans on focusing on her immediate future, with visions of an Olympic medal still a ways away.

“We’ll see about that (Olympics), but definitely keep going with track. Right now I’m just trying to focus on track and school and balancing them out.”

Ava’s mother Sheri is incredibly proud of her daughter’s hard work and commitment to her sport.

“She’s just relentless in her dedication to training and running. She works so hard and never wants to miss a practice. Even in the middle of the winter months when there’s nothing going on with track and field, she’s out there on awful, terrible, rainy cold nights running around the track.”

Nanaimo had hoped to host the 2026 BC Summer Games, however were not selected. Maple Ridge will host the 2024 event followed by Kelowna two years later.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow