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CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Local athletes head to OFSAA Track and Field as gold medal favourites
Jenna Tunks (L) and Jackson MacKay (R) are gold-medal favourites heading into OFSAA track and field. June 3, 2025. (Brent Lale/CTV News Londno) Decathlete Jackson MacKay is hoping to finish his high school track career with a haul of medals. 'With this being my last year, winning a couple of medals, it would mean a lot to me,' said MacKay, a top provincial athlete and student at Sir Fredrick Banting Secondary School (SFBSS). Heading into OFSAA, he's ranked number one in the province in long jump and the 110 metre hurdles. His 4x100 m relay team is also the favourite to win a gold medal. He's currently ranked second in pole vault, and his SFBSS 4x400 m relay team is also ranked number two in Ontario. 'He's kind of been sort of challenged with timing issues at OFSAA the last number of years,' says Todd MacKay, his father, and head coach of SFBSS track and field. 'It's been hurdles going at the same time as a high jump for example in the past. This year the schedule works out well and I think it's his goal to medal.' Jackson is coming off a successful OFSAA West Regions where he won the 110 m hurdles, the long jump and the 4x100 m relay. He had second place finishes in pole vault and the 4x400 m relay. He'll compete in all five events this week. jackson mackay - pole vault Jackson MacKay of Sir Fredrick Banting S.S. cleared 4.35 m in the WOSAA pole vault competition. (Source: Todd McKay) 'My coach thinks I can get the OFSAA record for pole vault,' said Jackson of the mark of 4.87 m set by Rob Lindsay in 1984. 'I don't know about hurdles because Gregory McNeill [Mother Teresa in 2010] it's pretty impressive what he ran [13.33 seconds]. I don't know if that record is going to get broken.' Jackson turned down a scholarship to the University of Cincinnati to stay at home at Western this fall. He did that in order to play both football and run track, the same thing his father Todd did. Across the field, Oakridge Secondary School thrower Jenna Tunks is the favourite to win both her events in the junior girls division. At OFSAA West Regionals, she won the discuss by more than 12 metres with a throw of 45.57 m and took the shot put with a throw of 15.32 m. 'I'm really just like focusing on like my technique recently because I haven't been very confident in my throws, but I feel that I'm like getting that confidence back,' says Tunks. 'I'm hoping to get a new OFSAA record for the Shotput.' Jenna Tunks Jenna Tunks of Oakridge S.S. is favoured to win the OFSAA Jr. Girls Discus and Shot Put events (Source: Jason Tunks) OFSAA records run in the family. Her father Jason, a former Olympian, has held the discus record for 30 years, and her sister Julia holds both the junior and senior girls discus marks. 'It'll be difficult [to break the discus record] as her sister's OFSAA record is like 53 (metres) and some change,' said Jason. 'I mean she's always been around 50 (metres). I think the ultimate goal is if she gets around 50, conditions bearing, as we've been getting a lot of rain. If we get no rain and a favorable wind, I think 50 is the goal.' When it comes to the shot put, she has a legitimate chance to etch her name in the books. 'She's more than capable of breaking the OFSAA record in the shot, which is at 16-zero (metres),' said Jason. 'If she can execute really well, she should do that.' Tunks has already won an OFSAA gold medal this year with the Oaks in volleyball. She has a great chance at coming home with two more this week at OFSAA which runs Thursday through Saturday at York University in Toronto.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Sandwich athlete winning races, setting records and in pursuit of provincial greatness
She's fast, she's focused and she's chasing history. Ella Steel-Douglas is running towards a legacy that would make her the most decorated high school track and field athlete in the history of OFSAA. 'It's exciting,' said the Grade 12 athlete. 'It gives me a constant goal and it's exciting to go after something that I know that I can achieve.' According to Sandwich head track coach Rob Moore, Ella was beating older kids when she was in grade 6. 'When she got to Grade 8, we noticed more and when she got to Grade 9, it just, wow. I mean, four OFSAA golds in Grade 9. That was just phenomenal. No one has ever done that,' Moore told CTV News. Steel-Douglas earned four provincial medals in Grade 10 and again last season pushing her total to 12. She has five events heading into the OFSAA West. If she qualifies for all five, she has a chance to end her high school career with 17 OFSAA medals. According to OFSAA, 2-time Olympian Jessica Zelinka won 16 medals during her five-year high school career while 3-time Olympian Kevin Sullivan finished with 13. 'When I got here in Grade 9, I had no clue what the records were. I had no clue who held them or who she (Zelinka) was in particular,' Steel-Douglas said. 'Then as I kept getting four medals every year, that's when it (the record) kinda came in sight. Ella's core four events are the hurdles, relay teams and long jump. This year, she added high jump to give her a chance at surpassing Zelinka. It's an event she's had to rediscover. 'When I was a kid, I did it,' said Steel-Douglas who has also jumped a couple of times during multi-events with her club team. 'I have a good foundation for it but actual practice, I don't really practice it all that much. Yet she won both the local and regional titles this spring. Steel-Douglas shares her achievements with teammates who have played a big role in her success. 'Having them beside me and having like-minded people in my corner, it helps me achieve those things. Her goal is in sight, but first order of business is getting through the OFSAA West Regionals starting Friday in London. 'I'm just excited for not just this school but all of Essex-County because I see the athletes that are coming out of this area, and I think it's gonna be a good OFSAA for Windsor-Essex County kids if we can get them through,' Moore said. The top 4 in each event advance to the OFSAA Championships at York University starting June 5th.
Hamilton Spectator
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Sabres Spring Into Action!
A new season is upon us with the Sabres getting off to a fantastic start, especially with their OFSAA winning track team, and dominant baseball team, along with the undefeated Ultimate Frisbee team, and the resilient soccer teams. Track & Field – The Track & Field season started off strong with a triumphant All-Comers meet by the Sabres. Hosted at Sandwich, the four events showcased were the 100m, 1500m, long jump, and shot put, with medal-winners in all four! In the first track event, the 100m, Junior Girls runner Charlotte Townsend won 1st place, Novice Boy Will Lester got 2nd, and in the senior girls Jaela Bailey and Ella Steel-Douglas came home with gold and silver. In 1500, meanwhile, Senior Girl Leah Shannon placed 1st, Senior Boy Grayson Pitcher received 2nd, Novice Girl Julia Carswell placed 2nd, and in a great junior girl race Alexandra Pardalis and Kallie Zajacz received gold and bronze, respectively. In field events, Adekanye Adedolapo placed 2nd for novice girls long jump, Charlotte Townsend placed 2nd in junior girls, Lucas Tuckey placed 2nd in novice boys shot put, and Ajax Smith placed 2nd in junior boys. After the first meet of the season, the Post asked grade ten athlete Pardalis on the toughness of the season; 'Racing and training is often difficult but to persevere and overcome adversity defines who we are as runners.' The OFSAA winning team is looking forward to their future meets, with 2 more All-Comers meets before the WECSSAA Finals! Boys Baseball – The baseball team has come out the gates dominant, with a combined 18-0 score against their first two opponents - Holy Names and Massey. Both sides of the ball have been extremely successful, led by the pitching prowess of Chase Patterson, Carter Chase, and Jack Brnardic. The boys' quest for WECSSAA gold continues, as they travel to Leamington to take on Belle River and Riverside this week. Ultimate Frisbee – The 'Sandy Frizz' team's season started off with a bang, defeating the rival Villanova team with an excellent score of 6-2, and beating Marantha 8-2. The Sabres made plenty of great plays, throwing the frisbee to perfection, and forcing drops of the frisbee from the other team. Their 14 combined scores in two games were impressive, as in their past games, they continued to march into the 'end zone' without fail. As they are undefeated, this places the team 1st overall in WECSSAA, as they prepare for more games to come this upcoming week. Boys Soccer – The senior boys' soccer, meanwhile, have had a rough season, running into tough teams, including Massey, Villanova, and Holy Names, the latter of which the Sabres played strong throughout the game, coming up just short with a score of 1-0 in a nailbiter of a game. It is only halfway through the season, and it is still anyone's game, with the boys being only one win away from being in position to host a playoff game. Girls Soccer – The Sandwich senior girls soccer team has gotten off to an unfortunate start, dropping their first two games to Holy Names and St Anne. There were multiple bright spots throughout the matches, with stellar defense, particularly from Aidee Roberts-Maurizio and Vivianna Merlino, the latter of which scoring the Sabres first goal of the season in a free kick against the Saints. The team is looking forward to continuing the season, with only one more game to go until the halfway point.
CBC
22-02-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Sudbury's Kivi Park hosts 600 high school ski races for 2025 OFSAA Nordic Championships
The OFSAA Nordic ski championships started early yesterday, and 15 races later, it's wrapping up at Kivi Park in Sudbury. Up North producer Bridget Yard takes us there.
