Mikaela York led the North Battleford Legion Track Club by winning two gold medals at the 2013 Saskatchewan Athletics Provincial Track and Field Championships held in Regina June 15 and 16.
York, 18, won the Open Womens' 5,000 metre event in a time of 19 minutes and 27 seconds and she was victorious in the Junior Womens' 2,000 metre steeplechase event in a time of seven minutes and 54 seconds.
"The 5,000 was tough, there was no one to run with," said York "I was aiming for a time below 19 minutes, but didn't quite get there."
York's second victory came in an event that is rarely competed. The steeplechase event is a distance running over heavy fence like hurdles and water jumps. York ran 2,000 metres in the junior women under 20 category, clearing the 76 cm hurdles 20 times and the combination hurdle and water jump five times in just under eight minutes.
"It is only the second time I have competed a steeple race, and I improved my time by 14 seconds," she said.
York finished eighth at the Canadian Junior Championships in Winnipeg last July. She will only have to wait three more weeks to improve her time further as she plans to run it again in Saskatoon at the Team Saskatchewan Canada Summer Games Trials meet July 6 and 7.
The weather was a factor all weekend long with steady 40 km/h winds all day Saturday and dozens of rain showers over the two days.
Erik Petersen made his debut on the provincial scene and it was a successful one. Petersen, 13, competed in four events in the Midget Boys' category and came away with a gold medal in the 2,000 metre race winning in six minutes and 38 seconds. Petersen also placed fourth in the 300 metre in 42.97 seconds, and had a fifth place finish in the 1,200 metre (three minutes 49 seconds) and sixth in the 800 metre in two minutes and 20 seconds. Petersen's running impressed Sask Athletics officials as he was invited to join the Saskatchewan team at the Western Canadian Midget/Youth Meet in Calgary July 27 and 28.
A third North Battleford Legion Track Club member also competed in the field events. Keri Rak competed in the four throwing events in the Youth Women's category, finishing fifth in the Hammer Throw (18.32 metres), sixth in the shot put (8.83 metres), sixth in Javelin (18.12 metres) and ninth in Discus (15.72 metres).
