Now that the high school track and field season has reached the biggest meet of the season, Peacock distance runner Nikolina Kapovic will look to just keep on keeping on.
Because if everything goes according to plan, she’ll most definitely be in the medal hunt at the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association championships during the June 4 weekend in Saskatoon.
Such is often the case when you’ve done nothing but set records in each major meet in the lead-up to provincials.
Kapovic was at it again in the South Central district meet, setting a new mark in the junior girls 3,000 metres on Tuesday after doing the same a week earlier in the city championship.
“I’m pretty happy, it’s been a good season and my times have been creeping down, so it’s been going pretty well,” Kapovic said shortly after finishing second in the 1,500 metres on Wednesday.
Kapvoic crossed the line in 10 minutes, 57.2 seconds in the district meet, taking seven seconds off the old mark set by former Central standout Kailey Smith back in 2003. Kapovic was also four seconds better than her city record set a week earlier, showing steady progression as the season continues.
Knocking off two-decade-old records has given Kapovic plenty of confidence heading into provincials, where she’ll be among the top-level runners aiming to claim provincial gold.
“Right now I’m in the medal standings, so I’m going to try and aim for that and see what happens,” Kapovic said.
Central’s Katie Rogers had a record-setting day of her own, crossing the line in five minutes flat to break the junior girls 1,500 metres record of 5:03.20 set by Bonnie Seaborg in 1999. Rogers would have also set a new mark in the 3,000 metres if not for Kapovic, as she ran 11:04.60 to finish second.
Vanier’s Zayden Anderson ran a time of 14.42 seconds to break the intermediate boys 100m hurdles record set by Rylan Thiessen back in 2007. It was also the second record in as many meets for Anderson, after he ran 14.15 to break the 28-year-old mark in cities.
The senior boys shot put record was absolutely obliterated, with Central’s Paul Barth emerging from a three-competitor race to set the new mark of 12.49 metres, besting the old record of 11.00 metres set by Brendan Kemp in 2019. Briercrest Christian’s Leif Anderson was second with a 12.15-m effort and Vanier’s Wyatt Beihl third at 11.48 metres.
Mankota’s Olivia Brisebois found herself similar battle with Briercrest Christian Academy’s Jasmine Hundeby in the senior girls shot put. Brisebois would end up winning the competition and set a new mark of 9.59 metres, beating the old record of 9.21 set by Briercrest Christian’s Melissa Ellis in 2019. Hundeby also would have broken the record, finishing second with a 9.39m effort.
The senior girls 800 metres saw reigning two-time cross-country champion Jadyn Palaschuk from Central cross the line in 2:30.34, breaking Ryann Handley’s record of 2:37.02 set in 2019.
Assiniboia’s Quinton Fettes hit a new record in the senior boys long jump, crossing 5.98 metres to crack the old mark of 5.77 metres set by Henok Shiferaw in 2019.
