Panthers shine at fourth annual invitational

By Medicine Hat News on November 1, 2021.

The Medicine Hat Panthers track and field team hosted their fourth annual invitational cross country meet last Saturday. Eighty-five runners from as young as eight years old competed in the all day event that fell on a nice day for racers despite muddy conditions.

Isabelle McWilliams and Lennox Studer both finished first in the girls and boys U8 1,000-metre runs, respectively. Olivia McWilliams and Emma Agar-Weninger finished first place in the girls U10 and U12 groups, respectively, as Oliver Fichter and Andrew Vis got first in the boys U10 and U12 groups at the same distance. All four runners compete for the Panthers.

Devyn Perrett took first in the U14 girls 2,000-metre run for the Medicine Hat Bulldogs Track and Field Club, with Odin Jordet of the Panthers getting the top time for the boys U14 group at the same distance.

Panthers’ Eve Maser finished first in the U16 women’s 2,500-metre race with teammate Madison Pullman right behind her for second. CJ Payeur from Eagle Butte High School finished in first in the U16 men’s race, also at 2,500 metres.

Madison Scrimger took first place in the U18 women’s 4,000-metre with a time of 18.32. Hannah Kozakewich, from Hat High, finished second in the 4,000-metre with a time of 19:21.

In the U18 men’s 6,000-metre, Panthers’ Keegan Kolody finished in first place with a time of 25:12. He finished almost a full minute ahead of Panther teammates Justin Jager and Gage Smith, who had times of 26.06 and 26.36, respectively.

Emily Stuart, the lone runner competing in the senior women’s 8000-metre, finished her race with a time of 44:12. Keely Milne, of the Panthers, finished first in the Masters women’s 8,000-metre with her time of 36:48. Darryl Smith, cross county coach at Eagle Butte and with the Panthers, finished first in the men’s masters 8,000-metre with a time of 34:13.

The Panthers had 40 athletes train twice per week for their cross country season and are now into their second week of the indoor season at the Family Leisure Centre.

Their next competition is Nov. 7 at the Athletics Alberta XC Provincials in Wetaskawin.

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