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Runners come up big at regional, national track meets

August 11, 2009

By Christopher Huber

By Christopher Huber
Ten-year-old Issaquah Gliders distance runner Sophie Cantine has a lot to be happy about as summer break winds down. The Sammamish resident placed sixth in the nation in the Bantam-level 1,500-meter and 800-meter runs at the 2009 USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships July 28-Aug. 2 in Greensboro, N.C.
She finished the 1,500-meter race in 5 minutes, 14.42 seconds, which was about 23 seconds behind the winner. Cantine ran the 800-meter run in 2:36.26, just 13 seconds behind first place.
“I felt really happy,” Cantine said after returning home from nationals. “It was harder this year. Last year the times were really slow, and now they’re really fast and I have more competitors.”
This was Cantine’s second time competing in a national competition — she also went to cross country nationals in 2008. She earned a spot at nationals after taking second in both the 800-meters (2:38.51) and the 1,500-meters (5:12.66) at the USATF Region 13 Junior Olympic Track and Field Championship July 9-12 in Salem, Ore. The region consists of athletes from Alaska, inland Northwest, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, according to the event Web site.
“It’s exciting for sure,” said her mother, Miranda Cantine. “It feels good, as a parent, to see her enjoy herself in a competitive sort of way.”
Other Sammamish athletes, representing the Issaquah Gliders club also made an impact at the regional competition.
The Gliders’ 4×400 Intermediate boys relay team, consisting of Ian Gelfer, Drew Matthews, Devin Sharps and Michael Stewart, placed second overall in the regional meet with a time of 3:50.64.
In the Intermediate-level (age 15-16) 1,500-meter race, Keegan Symmes took fifth and Devin Sharps took seventh at regionals. Symmes also took fourth place in the 3,000-meter race, coming in at 10:09.44.
Stewart finished the 800-meter run in sixth, (2:09.81).
Sprinter Liam Doyle, of Inglewood Junior High, took eighth and sixth in the Youth-level 100-meter (12.30 sec.) and 200-meter (25.00 sec.) dash races. The following weekend, he took second in the 100-meters and third in the 200-meters at the Track City International Invitational in Eugene, Ore.
Matthews recorded a personal-best and Gliders team record in the 400-meter run with a time of 53.70 seconds, which was good enough for third place.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.sammamishreview.com.

Ten-year-old Issaquah Gliders distance runner Sophie Cantine has a lot to be happy about as summer break winds down. The Sammamish resident placed sixth in the nation in the Bantam-level 1,500-meter and 800-meter runs at the 2009 USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships July 28-Aug. 2 in Greensboro, N.C.

She finished the 1,500-meter race in 5 minutes, 14.42 seconds, which was about 23 seconds behind the winner. Cantine ran the 800-meter run in 2:36.26, just 13 seconds behind first place.

Issaquah Gliders members and Sammamish residents, from left, Devin Sharps, Ian Gelfer and Liam Doyle stand at the Regional Junior Olympic Championships held at Willamette University in Salem, Ore. They competed against athletes from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska and advanced to the finals in their respective races. Contributed

Issaquah Gliders members and Sammamish residents, from left, Devin Sharps, Ian Gelfer and Liam Doyle stand at the Regional Junior Olympic Championships held at Willamette University in Salem, Ore. They competed against athletes from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska and advanced to the finals in their respective races. Contributed

“I felt really happy,” Cantine said after returning home from nationals. “It was harder this year. Last year the times were really slow, and now they’re really fast and I have more competitors.”

This was Cantine’s second time competing in a national competition — she also went to cross country nationals in 2008. She earned a spot at nationals after taking second in both the 800-meters (2:38.51) and the 1,500-meters (5:12.66) at the USATF Region 13 Junior Olympic Track and Field Championship July 9-12 in Salem, Ore. The region consists of athletes from Alaska, inland Northwest, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, according to the event Web site.

“It’s exciting for sure,” said her mother, Miranda Cantine. “It feels good, as a parent, to see her enjoy herself in a competitive sort of way.”

Other Sammamish athletes, representing the Issaquah Gliders club also made an impact at the regional competition.

The Gliders’ 4×400 Intermediate boys relay team, consisting of Ian Gelfer, Drew Matthews, Devin Sharps and Michael Stewart, placed second overall in the regional meet with a time of 3:50.64.

In the Intermediate-level (age 15-16) 1,500-meter race, Keegan Symmes took fifth and Devin Sharps took seventh at regionals. Symmes also took fourth place in the 3,000-meter race, coming in at 10:09.44.

Stewart finished the 800-meter run in sixth, (2:09.81).

Sprinter Liam Doyle, of Inglewood Junior High, took eighth and sixth in the Youth-level 100-meter (12.30 sec.) and 200-meter (25.00 sec.) dash races. The following weekend, he took second in the 100-meters and third in the 200-meters at the Track City International Invitational in Eugene, Ore.

Matthews recorded a personal-best and Gliders team record in the 400-meter run with a time of 53.70 seconds, which was good enough for third place.

Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com.

Written by Christopher Huber · Filed Under Sports 

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