2008 OUA CHAMPIONSHIPS: 
IMPROVEMENT = LOST GROUND

WINDSOR, FEBRUARY 22-23, 2008

Hard to believe but the order of the day was even significant improvements meant lost ground.  Case in point, Dupe Oyewumi wins OUA SILVER in 2007 with 7.79; rookie Veronica Catry runs the finest series for 60m in school history 7.76, 7.78, 7.77 and finishes 5^th.  This trend was true across almost every event; reinforcing the concept “if you just sit on the track you’re going to get run over”.  Last year we came home with 3 silver medals this year we came home with a gold, a silver and two bronze medals, so despite the escalation of performances (very good for the sport!!) we were able to not only keep pace but also took a positive step in the right direction.  Two ALL TIME performances were posted and 8 PB’s also recorded.  We have 8 men and 6 women going to the CIS Championships at McGill, March 6-8, 2008. 

The OUA Championships could not have started off worst for us – rookie Mikey Prime sprains his ankle warming up for the 4x200m relay and is out of the meet (scratch the 300m, an event he may well have scored team points in, and not only is the 4x200m relay adversely affected so is the 4x400m relay); things were looking pretty bleak until the glitter of gold gave a spark to the team and helped put us back on the right track. 

GOLD MEDAL PERFORMANCE

MATT HULSE:  1500m – 3:53.30, PB, AUTOMATIC QUALIFYING STANDARD, #5 ALL TIME, #6 CIS

Sophomore Matt Hulse has had a dream season.  He has shattered his previous best performances and etched himself firmly into the ALL TIME TOP TEN in the 1000m and 1500m, two events Queen’s has a storied history in.  Matt came within 0.02 seconds of being the first male athlete in Queen’s track history to bring home three medals from the same Championship meet.  Hard to believe with all the phenomenal athletes we’ve had over the years no one has managed this.  You also have to go back to 1985 to find the last time Queen’s went 1-3 in the 1500m.  Dave Mather (the 1987 CIS Male Athlete of the Meet) ran 3:52.90 to win and Alan Hugli posted a 3:59.55 to garner the bronze.  Matt’s plan was simple, stay with the pack, stay in contact with the leaders, and then kick hard for home.  Funny thing about plans, they don’t always work; or things happen that necessitate change.  The race starts off slowly, no one willing to set the pace; everyone is bunched up.  Braden is at the back of the pack, a most unusual position for him.  Matt plops himself in the middle of the pack to start with and gradually works his way to the front.  With no one willing to go for it Matt finds himself in the lead with about 400m to go, not exactly where he wanted to be at that point in time.  With really no other option, Matt guns it for home.  He’s able to hold off all challengers and crosses the line victorious.  Matt came into the event ranked 4^th and wins gold… the two Windsor lads Coates and Sinclair were ranked 1-2; Braden 3 and Matt 4.  The order goes Queen’s, Windsor (Coates), Queen’s, Windsor (Sinclair).  Basically anyone in the top 8 could have won this race; we’re obviously ecstatic with the fact we came away with two medals.  The CIS Championship is shaping up the same way… anyone on that start line could win it.  Based on the amazing talent in the race it should be fun to watch but a war to be in.

SILVER MEDAL PERFORMANCE

LESLIE SEXTON:  3000m – 9:54.30

Leslie had lost some momentum in her training due to an Achilles tendon problem.  She had not raced since posting a superior 17:06.62 5000m in Ottawa on February 2, 2008.  The rust showed in her 1500m on Friday night.  She came out determined to be on the podium at the conclusion of the 3000m.  With no one else willing to set the pace, Leslie assumed the lead.  She looked great through the first 1500m then seemed to hit a rough patch.  Three runners went by her and it looked like the podium might be out of reach.  With 800m to go Leslie seemed to perk up and began to close the gap down that had opened between her and the runners in front of her.  With 400m to go the first runner was within striking distance.  Like a shark smelling blood Leslie shifted gears and started to “sprint”.  She ran down the first runner then set her sights on the second.  She closed hard and passed going into the final corner.  She ran out of room and had to settle for silver.  The “steady” Leslie had suddenly developed a “kick” which surprised herself and a number of others, myself included.  ALL CONFERENCE in cross country, now ALL CONFERENCE on the track – I’d say that was a pretty phenomenal season!  The only question left unanswered is can Leslie make it ALL CANADIAN in cross country and ALL CANADIAN on the track.  It won’t be easy, but anything is possible, and you know Leslie will be giving it all she has to earn a spot on the podium at the CIS Championships.

BRONZE MEDAL PERFORMANCES

BRADEN NOVAKOWSKI:  1500m – 3:54.30

As previously discussed Braden approached this race entirely differently than he had any other all year in that he was content to let others set the pace.  He methodically work himself up through the pack and when the scramble for the finish line occurred was in position to strike.  He surged by a number of runners on the final straight to secure the bronze.

MEN’S 4x800m RELAY:  7:46.        [Chris Brens (1:56.8); Braden Novakowski (1:55.2); Dave Burr (1:57.4, PB); Matt Hulse (1:56.7)]

Chris battled with the Windsor lead-off sneaking in just ahead to hand off to Braden first.  Braden immediately sprinted away and opened a substantial gap.  Dave gave it his best to hold the lead but could feel the Windsor runner coming and was not able to hold him off.  The Guelph runner then closed in but Dave maintained a small lead into the hand-off to Matt.  Matt tried to respond and go after the Windsor runner but just didn’t have the gas.  His fatigue showed as he was uncharacteristically unable to hold off the Guelph anchor.  The guys were a little disappointed in having to settle for bronze but realistically coming into the race it was a 3-way contest between Windsor, Guelph and ourselves; Windsor and Guelph just had more on this particular day.  With both Braden and Matt qualifying for the 1000m at the CIS championships which occurs shortly before the 4x800m, the guys will be in tough.  While they’re coming into CIS Championships ranked 3^rd and certainly have the ability to be on the podium, the reality is any of the 10 teams lining up could end up on the podium – it’s that close!

OTHER PERFORMANCES OF NOTE

MEN’S 1000m:  MATT HULSE – 2:28.30; BRADEN NOVAKOWSKI – 2:28.56; CHRIS BRENS – 2:29.60

This race was wide open.  Braden went out harder, Matt went out slow; Chris with nothing to lose took it out the hardest of the three.  At one stage the guys were 2-3; but then fell back.  When the charge for home came Matt left it 0.02 too long.  He was that close to becoming the first Queen’s man to bring home 3 medals from the same Championship meet.  While they may have been shut out of the medals a 3-4-5 finish is nothing to sneeze at.  Both Matt and Braden have qualified for the 1000m at the CIS Championships.  As with the 1500m anyone can be standing on the podium Friday night after the 1000m final; hopefully there’s a Golden Gael (or two) among them.

VERONICA CATRY:  60m – 7.77; 5^th

Veronica now owns the 4 fastest times in school history.  She opened with a 7.76 to qualify for the semis.  In the semis she ran 7.78 to qualify 6^th to the final.  Three races and three times below the old Queen’s Record of 7.79, which last year brought home OUA Silver.  There is only one other event in Queen’s Track history that a rookie has so thoroughly dominated; and while OUA Gold was brought home in that event, the absolute level of domination comes up well short of what Veronica has shown in the 60m.  I guess it had to end sooner or later but this is the first time this season Veronica has been out of the medals and failed to post a PB.  Chop liver, she certainly is NOT!  Veronica goes into CIS Championships ranked 10^th.  There’s not much separating 12 from 5; a hundredth one way or the other…  Can Veronica become the first woman in Queen’s track history to make the CIS final in the 60m???

BRI ESHLEMAN:  WEIGHT – 13:15m, PB, #5 ALL TIME, 7^th

Few athletes likely would have persevered through the season dealing with a back that needed regular chiropractic treatment and massage just to function; especially when the event they are competing in could also be a “destroyer of backs”.  Bri hung tough through some challenging times.  She improved on last year’s OUA performance and had her best throw ever when it counted most to score team points.  In the process she moves up a spot on the ALL TIME list.  An improvement of just 7cm next year moves Bri up two more spots on the ALL TIME list; although I have a feeling Bri will be looking for much more than 7cms. 

LIZA HOWARD:  1000m – 3:07.77, PB

If Liza improves next year any where close to what her improvement rate was this year, look out!!  I her first OUA Championship she more than held her own and posted a big 2-second improvement.

WOMEN’S 4x800m RELAY:  9:29.65, 5^th [NADIA TATLOW (2:24.5, PB); LEAH LAROCQUE (2:19.1), LIZ MILLER (2:20.9, PB); NATALIE DESIMINI (2:24.9, PB)]; LEAH LAROCQUE 1000m @ 2:55.18, 8^th; 1500m @ 4:39.66, 6^th.

Rookie Nadia Tatlow was forced to opt just for the 4x800m relay when the cut for the 3000m found her on the wrong side of the line… coaching association motions should eliminate this issue in the future.  Nadia went out hard and stayed with the other teams through 600m before dropping back.  She hung tough and brought the stick home to Leah with her fastest ever 800m leg.  Leah tired from the 1500m, just could not make inroads.  Liz also tired from the 1500m managed to dig down deep and come up with a PB effort.  Natalie closed out her Queen’s career with one more PB.  The net effect of there efforts was a modest improvement on their previous best time.  The women’s 4x8 finishes the year ranked 11^th in the CIS, missing qualifying for the Championship by one place.  Leah equaled Leslie Sexton’s point output with 8 between the three events she ran to join Leslie was the major point getter for the women… between the two of them they accounted for 16 of the team’s 24 points.

KURTIS NISHIYAMA:  HIGH JUMP – 1.91m, 6^th

Oh, what if????  Just before Kurtis severely rolled his ankle on an attempted jump, I had made the comment if he clears his PB 1.94m he’ll likely medal.  Sure enough 1.94 was good enough for silver and bronze.  Unfortunately for Kurtis not only does he miss out on an OUA medal he misses going to the CIS Championships, despite qualifying for them.  He totaled his take-off ankle on his second attempt at 1.94m and had to be carried to the physio room as he was unable to walk.   It’s a heart breaker to have to miss nationals but it’s the right call for his long term health and competitive potential.  Had Kurtis exited OUA’s health given his roller-coaster season, CIS Championships would have been on an up swing.  Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery with no long-term after effects regarding the ankle.

BRIAN WILSON:  60mH – 8.94

Brian has been dealing with a gimpy leg so to come out and run heats and qualify for the semi’s where he ran his second fastest ever 60mH race is a pretty darn solid effort.

TYLER NIGHTINGALE:  60m – 7.46; 300m – 37.22; 4x2 – 23.6 PB; 4x4 – 51.7

Tyler wasn’t suppose to be this busy but was pressed into action in the relays with Mikey Prime going down with a sprained ankle.  He ran his season best in the 60m, was just off his best in the 300m, all after running PB leading off the 4x2.  He came back on Saturday to just miss a PB in the 4x4.

ALL TIME TOP TEN

MATT HULSE:  1500m – 3:53.30, PB, #5 ALL TIME, GOLD

BRI ESHLEMAN:  WEIGHT – 13:15m, PB, #5 ALL TIME, 7^th

ATHLETES OF THE MEET

ROOKIES:  VERONICA CATRY/LEAH LAROCQUE and MICHAEL NISHIYAMA

Veronica had the highest individual finish at 5^th and posted an incredible series of times.  She also had a solid lead-off on the 4x200m relay which finished 6^th thus accounting for 7 team points.  Leah had 3 solid races scoring points in all three and contributed 8 team points.  Both have qualified for the CIS Championships, so with virtually nothing separating them on this particular weekend; we’ll call it a draw.  Michael ran a solid 600m finishing second in the slow section; as irony would have it, had he won he’d have scored team points in the event.  Michael also demonstrated the ability to block out everything but the task at hand.  After watching his brother torch his ankle, Michael was able to re-focus and run a solid 4x4 leg helping the guys to a 6^th place finish.

PERSONAL BESTS

WOMEN

1. Natalie Desimini:  4x8 – 2:24.9                 old PB 2:25.8
2. Bri Eshleman:  weight – 13.15m                old PB 12.99m
3. Liza Howard:  1000m – 3:07.77                old PB 3:09.97
4. Liz Miller:  4x800m – 2:20.9                     old PB 2:21.6
5. Nadia Tatlow:  4x800m – 2:24.5               old PB 2:25.9

MEN

1. David Burr:  4x800m – 1:57.4                   old PB 1:57.8
2. Adrian Heller:  300m – 36.15**200m         old PB 36.41
3. Matt Hulse:  1500m – 3:53.30                  old PB 3:54.38