STELLARTON – Two Pictou County Athletes have been honoured by Atlantic23 in its second annual year in review.
Athletes under the age of 23, and who are registered members of an Atlantic provincial branch of Athletics Canada, were chosen based upon their cumulative performances throughout the calendar year, including performances achieved throughout indoor and outdoor track and field, cross-country, and road racing.
Getting awards are Pictou County Athletics (PCA) competitors Keighan DeCoff and Heath Miller.
Pat Carty, of Pictou County Athletics, said their achievements reflect upon their dedication to their respective sports.
“We just try to give them an opportunity to achieve things such as Keighan and Heath have accomplished,” he said.
“We don’t put a lot of pressure on them and they seem to respond to that.”
Keighan DeCoff (Frasers Mountain)
At the Canadian Legion track and field championships, DeCoff threw a personal best in the discus to capture the bronze medal in the U18 category.
The following day, she shattered her own personal best by 1.5 meters and secured the gold medal by a single centimeter. Her throw of 14.96m in the shot put was the farthest by a female U18 athlete in Canada this year.
Heath Miller (Merigomish)
Already an accomplished thrower and national medalist, Miller improved upon her abilities in 2019.
Competing in the U20 category at the Canadian track and field championships, Heath captured silver in the javelin throw. She also placed first in the women’s category of the Maritime Track League.
PCA Athletes Who Participated in Post-Secondary Track and Field and or Cross Country
• Heidi MacDonald – STFX track and field and cross country (studying Optometry in Massachusetts).
• Jenna MacDonald – Dalhousie track and field and cross country (studying medicine at Dalhousie)
• Allister Mason – Dalhousie track and field – graduated/Masters in physics
• Ian MacDonald – St. Marys – track and field and cross country – took business and now is employed by Sobeys at head office in Stellarton
• Ryan Washburn – STFX track and field – presently a teacher in Alberta
• Macayla Cullen – Dalhousie track and field – presently teaching in Tatamagouche
• Kaelan Schmidt – Dalhousie track and field (nursing)
• Lauren Quann – University of New Hampshire – track and field – (social sciences)
• Megan Graham – STFX – track and field (nursing)
• Eric Hughes – UNB – track and field (business)
• Breanna Sandluck – STFX – track and field and cross country (human kinetics)
• Scott Langille – Holland College - cross country, (recreation at UNB)
• Logan Coulet – STFX – track and field – (human kinetics.
• Taylor Mattinson – Dalhousie – track and field – (sciences)
• Maria Duynisveld – Dalhousie – track and field – (sciences)
• Brett Claveau-Corbin – St.Marys – track and field – (business)
• Maddie Campbell – University of Northern Michigan (sciences)
• Alex Moore – STFX – track and field – (studying Human Kinetics)
• Jenna Reid – University of Wofford, South Carolina – track and field – (business and environmental science)
• Danielle MacKay – Mount Allison – cross country (sciences)
• Abby Stroud – Mount Allison – cross country – (sciences)
• Robyn Simpson – Mount Allison – cross country (psychology)
2020 Graduates:
Allie Sandluck – Plans to attend STFX – track and field and cross country (sciences).
John Luke Taylor – Plans to attend STFX or Dalhousie – track and field (sciences)
Ethan MacDonald – Plans to attend STFX or UBC – track and field and cross country (human kinetics).
Canadian Outdoor Championships - Medalists
Lauren Quann –Multi – Silver
Raymond Simpson – Steeplechase – Gold
Parker Swain – Discus – Gold and a Bronze, Shot Put – 2 Bronze and Hammer –Bronze
Kaelan Schmidt – High Jump – Gold and Bronze, Long Jump - Silver
Keighan DeCoff - Shot Put – Gold and Bronze, Discus – 2 Bronze medals
Heath Miller – Javelin – 3 Bronze medals
Alex Moore – Relay – Silver
Tatum McLean – Hammer – Bronze - CG - Hammer
Jenna Reid – Javelin – Silver
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Canadian Indoor Championships – Medalists
Keighan DeCoff – Weight Throw - Bronze , Shot Put - Silver
Cara MacDonald – 300m - Silver , 800m – Silver
* CG – Canada Games