Grade 8 student flies over the high jump bar to win track and field event

Jake Puskas didn’t think much of his chances in the midget boy’s high jump at the Thunder Bay District Catholic School Board’s annual track and field meet.

He needn’t have worried.

The Grade 8 Bishop Gallagher athlete easily won the high-jump completion Tuesday on Day 1 of the two-day competition, staged at the newly refurbished Fort William Stadium track.

“I had no confidence going into this. It’s not really my thing. But I guess it all just kind of came together,” Puskas said, after winning the midget boys high jump, the only athlete to clear the bar at 1.58 metres.

Puskas, who also won heats in the 100- and 200-metre heats, helped propel his team to third place in the midget division with 33 points, trailing Pope John Paul II Elementary School, which topped all teams in all divisions with 93 points, 16 more than Bishop E.Q. Jennings.

“It feels great. I’ve definitely never won before. I always came second or third or fourth, something like that,” he said, mentioning he may give up track and field when he hits high school next fall in order to concentrate on football.

Holy Cross School tops the junior division with 56 points, 31 ahead of Thunder Bay Christian School, while Pope John Paul II also edged out Bishop E.Q. Jennings in the bantam side, 65.5 points to 65.

Puskas is one of 600 athletes taking part in the two-day event, says convener Aldo Grillo, who added students between grades 4 and 8, split into in three divisions, are competing in 11 different disciplines, Things couldn’t have gone better, he said.

“It’s fantastic. It’s our 41^st meet at the track. All the work done here at the stadium was completed on Friday for us. It’s a fantastic facility, great weather today and a great turnout by all the kids,” Grillo said. “For us to be the first ones to break (the new facility) in, so to speak, is a bit of an honour.”

It’s all about the kids, he added.

“Whether its performances by Grade 4 students or some of them who are getting ready for their high school athletic careers in Grade 8, the kids love coming out, they love competing,” Grillo said. “Being amongst other students of their own age from other schools, it’s just a great get together for all the kids.”

Karli Numikoski, a Grade 8 senior at Bishop E.Q. Jennings, took first spot in the midget girls 800-metre race, and finished second in the 400-metre event to lead all individuals with 18 points.

Bishop Gallagher’s Kyle Lagrange, who took the high jump title and finished third in the bantam boys 800-metre face, is second with 16 points, while Austin Hall of Thunder Bay Christian School is third with 14 points after winning the junior boys high jump and crossing the finish line fourth in the 800-metre.

Action continues at the track, with highlights including the 400-metre relays, the triple jump and shot put.