By Larry Moko
You’d never know that a couple of senior athletes from Bishop Tonnos Catholic Secondary School were relatively new to their events at the 2024 OFSAA South Regional track and field championships.
Chloe Seiler and Darrius Mullings of BT both adapted well, however, and successfully qualified for the OFSAA championships to be held next weekend in London. Seiler came fourth in the women’s open 2,000-metre steeplechase (7 minutes, 14.21 seconds), while Mullings beat the field in the senior boys’ triple jump with a leap of 14.21m.
Both of the accomplished veterans had previously been successful in other areas.
“Chloe has been our strong middle distance runner … core of the team,” Tonnos coach Sean McPhee said. “She decided to branch out and try something different. She did well.”
Seiler made her steeplechase debut a few weeks ago and won the GHAC title in 7:36.90.
The top four placings in each event from the two-day South Regional competition advance to the annual provincial high school showcase meet.
“Unfortunately,” McPhee said, “Chloe had the flu’ today and scratched at the last moment out of the 800m (a GHAC race she won last week). That was disappointing.”
As for Mullings, he seems to be catching on quickly to the triple jump – finishing first in his age category on Thursday. Last year, at OFSAA, Mullings came eighth in the senior long jump.
Said McPhee: “Darrius has God-given talent.”
“The triple is new to me,” Mullings said. “This is only my third time doing it in competition.
“I was good at long jump so I thought I’d give this a try. It turned out pretty good.”
Mullings also will be taking part in long jump again this year at OFSAA. He qualified with 6.73m second-place leap at regionals.
He’s following in his older sister’s footsteps. Former Tonnos student Jaden Mullings captured gold at OFSAA 2018 in midget girls’ long jump and then graduated to join the Laurier university track and field team.
“I wanted to do it (long jump) because she was doing it,” Darrius said. “She was always better than me. Now that I’m doing it here, I like her to help me along with anything I need.”
Another Tonnos entrant who excelled was Hamilton Olympic Club sprinter Victoria Zolaturiuk. She raced to second-place finishes in both the junior girls’ 100m (12.21) and 200m (25.50).
“Victoria ran personal best times here in the 100 and 200,” McPhee said. “She’s training at a very high level outside of school. She’s a dedicated hard-working kid who sets a good example for everybody around her.”
In other action, Anna Ptaszek of the St. Mary Crusaders breezed to victory in the junior girls’ 3000m. She also came second in the 1500m.
“I felt really good,” Ptaszek said of her 10:30.68 performance in the 3000m. “I went out at a proper pace, maintained it and finished strong.
“It was a seven-second PB.”
The previous day, runner-up Ptaszek clocked a 4:48.26 for the 1500m.
“That was definitely the place I thought I would be,” she said. “It wasn’t quite my PB but it was close.”
Last year, Ptaszek came seventh at OFSAA in the novice 1500 and fifth in the 3,000. She also ended up fourth at OFSAA junior cross-country earlier this season.
Another double qualifier from the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic Athletic Association was Ben Casey of the St. Jean de Brébeuf Braves. In the junior boys’ division he was second in the 800m (2:01.50) and made the grade again, fourth, in the 400m (52.81).
The novice boys’ 4x100m relay team from Bishop Ryan impressed again on the track. After breaking a GHAC record last week, the Celtics entry – Nolan Pond, Milo Domanski, Gabe Kartsomanis, Misael Merino and Liam Samson -- finished first in 46.56.
Brébeuf also qualified for OFSAA in the junior boys’ division of the 4x100 relay (45.13).
Another first-place finish for Bishop Ryan was by Yuvraj Ari. He cleared 1.80m in the junior boys’ high jump.
Other Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic qualifiers for the May 6-8 OFSAA championships at Western University include: Savanah Gallea, St. Thomas More, fourth, NG 300m hurdles, 49.39; B’jorn Mitchell, Bishop Ryan, SB 400m hurdles, third, 58.27; Isaiah Slegtenhorst, St. Jean de Brébeuf, JB 200m, second, 22.78; Vincent DeSimone, St. John Henry Newman, JB 200m, fourth, 22.80; Latoya Fletcher, More, JG high jump, fourth, 1.50m; Amos Wleh, Cathedral, NB triple jump, second, 12.21; Maria Atanasoaei, Cathedral, JG javelin, third, 30.74; Levi Snider, Bishop Ryan, JB discus, second, 44.81m; Michelle Anigwe, More, NG shot put, second, 10.38m; Joshua Tolu-Boluwatise, More, SB high jump, fourth, 1.76m; Juliet Nguyen, More, women’s II shot put, second, 4.92m; Juliet Nguyen, More, women’s II 800m, fourth, 4:24.63; Great Matukala-Nkosi, More, women’s II 800m, second, 3:27.55.
Photos by Bob Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
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