R.B.Burton
The Under-10 and Under-12 runners from the Oakville Track Club do their rendition of Roger Rabbit ("We've Been Framed") at the 2023 Ontario Cross-Country Championships at Downsview Park. Front row left to right: Gwen Miller, Kinley Barber and Grace-Mabel Miller will be the nucleus of next year's Under-12 team. In the back row, from left to right, Paige Jurgens, Jessica Jurgens, Ruth Jergins, and Freya White will move to Under-14 next year. Rosie White will still be Under-10.
Several local young athletes with the Oakville Track Club made appearances this weekend, competing in the Ontario Cross-Country Championship at Toronto's Downsview Park.
Eight-year-old Rosie White started the day for the Oakville Track Club at the Championship's 2023 edition, as the grade three student at Pine Grove Public School contested the Under-10 girls 1000m.
Giving up a year or more to most of the runners, she still managed to finish 31st out of 48 runners in a time of 5:20 (five minutes, twenty seconds). Unfortunately, the published results didn't include the years of birth, so it's unknown where she placed amongst the Under-9 runners.
In the Under-12 girls 2000m, it was Ruth Jergens with the best placing of all local runners, placing 13th out of 89 runners in 8:44.
She was followed in 22nd by her sister Jessica, with an 8:56 time, her other sister Paige in 33rd (9:20) and Freya White (9:43) to finish as a team in fifth place overall in Ontario.
Other locals from Oakville Track Club were Grace-Mabel Miller in 58th (10:29), Kinley Barger in 63rd 10:39), and Gwen Miller in 68th (10:49). The first four runners will move up an age category next year to compete in the Under-14 age group, while the latter three, currently 10 years old, will form the nucleus of the Under-12 team.
Two girls contested the Under-14 girls 2000m, with Ontario Christian Schools Champion Payton Kraal finishing 31st in 8:20 and Aubrey Tanner 85th in 9:15.
A total of 118 girls started the race.
This closes the outdoor season for the Oakville Track Club, with their focus now turning to the indoor campaign starting in December.
Anyone wishing for information is invited to contact them by phone or text at 289-400-8725 or by email at athletiques2@hotmail.com.
