To The Haldimand Press
CAYUGA—It’s been several years since Haldimand County has had representatives compete in the OFSSA Cross Country Championships. It’s been even longer since those athletes were students at Cayuga Secondary School (CSS), but 2021 witnessed a complete reversal of form as the only two Haldimand athletes to make the prestigious meet for Ontario high school runners were from CSS.
Gavin Mathieson
Gavin Mathieson, a Grade 9 runner, has taken turns with Tristan Garlow of Pauline Johnson as the top AABHN (Athletic Association of Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk) runner, with Mathieson winning the first tilt with a final sprint at the AABHN Championships, only to have Garlow return the favour one week later, with a substantial lead, at the CWOSSA Championships. But Mathieson took his turn when it counted, finishing ninth in the Novice boys 4km in Lakefield, Ontario, in a time of 15:34.2, exactly 30 seconds from the gold. Garlow had problems with the course and finished 33rd in 16:20.
Caitlyn Thompson
In the very next race, Caitlyn Thompson, in Grade 10, ran her 5.15km course in 22:51.4 to improve on her CWOSSA time. More impressive, however, was her overall position in the race. As an athlete more at home in the hurdles and jumps, and on the basketball court, it would have been acceptable for her to place in the top 40%. With that in mind, to place 33rd out of 181 athletes (18.2%) is exemplary.
Like Mathieson, she also improved on her position from the CWOSSA outing, where she finished sixth overall. This time, she was the fifth Association runner, with the “odd man out” being the CWOSSA Champion, Jadea Collin, of Brantford’s Assumption College School, who was unable to finish.
Both Mathieson and Thompson are members of area track clubs and will have both indoor training and competition before they get to “show their stuff” on the track next spring.
