By Larry Moko
Talk about a fast start.
Earlier this month, the Bishop Ryan Celtics’ winning time in a 4x100m relay race was the fastest run by a senior boys’ high school team in Canada this season.
That clocking of 43.7 seconds was recorded at the Mark Graham Memorial track and field meet in Hamilton.
Friday, on the same track at the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference championships, the Celtics won another gold medal. This time, however, their overall speed slowed a bit.
“Today we barely scraped by for first place with 44.7,” said Abdoulaye Bah, a member of the BR foursome. “So our time went up a full second. It isn’t favorable, but I’m just glad we managed to come here and snag the win.”
About 1,800 athletes from 36 schools in Hamilton and Halton took part in the two-day competition at the Ray Lewis Centre. The top five finishers in each event qualified for the June 1-2 South Regionals in Brampton.
Bah and his younger brother, Idrissa, along with Adonis Banks and Roman Sardo carried the baton for the Celtics at GHAC. Originally, before being sidelined with an injury, N’Joy Davis was part of the group.
“At the Mark Graham, we had the fastest time in Canada,” Celtics coach Sheldon Francis said. “Then, a team in British Columbia beat us a week or so later.
“Our senior boys’ 4x1 team is phenomenal. They work together to achieve their goals and they care about each other.”
Abdoulaye’s teammates were cheering him on when he raced to victory in the 200m race (22.09). He also placed second in the 100m on Thursday (10.88).
Another highlight for Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic schools was the senior girls’ 800m win in GHAC record time (2:12.13) by Amelia Dodds of the St. Thomas More Knights.
Other Day 3 GHAC winners from the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board were: St. Thomas More’s, novice girls’ 4x100 relay team, 47.23; Samantha Lipinski, Bishop Ryan, junior girls’ triple jump, 10.40m; Nicolas Fricano, Tonnos, boys’ (PARA 1) 800m, 3:05.57; Chloe Seiler, Tonnos, JG 800m, 2:24.24; Levi Snider, Bishop Ryan, NB shot put, 12.29m; Alessia Ruiu, Bishop Ryan, JG 300m hurdles, 48.02; Isaiah Slegtenhorst, Brebeuf, NB 300m hurdles, 46.85; Ben Kingston, BR, JB 300m hurdles, 45.83; Kendry Georges, Bishop Ryan, SB 400m hurdles, 1:01.25; Anna Ptaszek, St. Mary, NG 3000m, 11:04.44; Jaidan Hamilton, Newman, NB triple jump, 11.19; Jaslene Niculita, Bishop Ryan, NB discus, 20.37; Curtis Bell, More, JB shot put, 13.82m; Levi Snider, Bishop Ryan, NB discus, 46.72m.
Other qualifiers from Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic schools Friday included: Armando Giunta, Bishop Ryan, NB javelin; Morgan Coffell, Bishop Ryan, SG discus; Juliet Nguyen, More, G (PARA 1) 800m; 4x100m NG relay, Tonnos; 4x100m NB relay, Brebeuf; 4x100m JG relay, More; 4x100m JG relay, Bishop Ryan; 4x100, JB relay, More; 4x100m relay, SG, Tonnos; 4x100m SB relay, More; Ben Casey, Brebeuf, NB 800m; Kiera Savin, Bishop Ryan, JG 800m; Darrien Joseph, Brebeuf, NB shot put; Isaiah Johnson, Bishop Ryan, JB triple jump; Stella Amoah, More, JG 300m hurdles; Jessica Schmid, Bishop Ryan, SG 400m hurdles; Precieuse Matukala, More, SG 400m hurdles; Bawil Yonan, More, NB 300m hurdles; Giuliana Mascitti, Tonnos, SG 200m; Jeremiah Washington, More, SB 200m; Noah Methot, Cathedral, JB 200m; Victoria Zolaturiak, Tonnos, NG 200m; Maleik Allen, More, NB 200m; Joel MacMillan, Bishop Ryan, NB 3,000m; 4x400m OG relay, Tonnos; 4x400m OB relay, Newman; Jayden Harrison, Brebeuf, SB discus; Miguel Fernandez, Bishop Ryan, SB discus; Harrison John, Bishop Ryan, SB discus; Shaelene Berrio, More, SG shot put; Ella DeAlmeida, Bishop Ryan, JG discus; DeNeilson Stewart, More, SB shot put; Obinna Enyinnah, Bishop Ryan, NB triple jump; Phoenix Lazar, Brebeuf, JB discus; Nosen Ajayi, Cathedral, JG shot put; Jack Cino, Brebeuf, JB shot put; Riley Coffell, Bishop Ryan, NB discus.
The Bishop Ryan Celtics finished first in the boys’ team total and sixth in girls’ team.