GORE BAY—A Charles C. McLean student has broken a very long standing record in the Rainbow District School Board (RDSB) Grade 8 (senior) girls high jump event at the Champions Track and Field meet.
Dan Smith, C.C. McLean teacher and coach, told the Recorder last Friday that in the RDSB Champions meet held in Sudbury last Thursday, “Sophie (Hietkamp) broke the 41-year-old RDSB board high jump record with a jump of 1.58 metres, beating the old mark of 1.54 metres.”
Ms. Hietkamp confirmed the record and told the Recorder, “I knew what the record was and knew what I had jumped—but it was still pretty cool (to break the record).” The record she broke was a 41-year-old record set Judy Taylor (Copper Cliff Public School), that had stood since 1977.
Ms. Hietkamp finished first in the high jump, first in the long jump and finished second in the Grade 8 girls 200-metre race.
As well at the RDSB Champions meet Autumn Deschenes (Little Current Public School) took home gold in both the Grade 8 100-metre (13.81) and 200-metres (28.35) events, crossing the line almost a full half-second ahead of the field in the 100-metre race.
“Ten of our track athletes travelled to Sudbury to compete in the Rainbow Board Champions Track Meet,” said Mr. Smith. “As a team, our Colts showed the 40 other elementary schools and 580 participants that we have true champions at C.C. McLean with eight of our athletes placing in the top 10 in their events. Those eight included Ethan Witty, Fia Flanagan, Amy Smith, Eli Lock, Jaydan Hayden, Mason Leighton, Abby Witty and Sophie Hietkamp. Congratulations to our entire group of Colts, but special mention goes out to Fia Flanagan who finished second in Tyke girls high jump, Ethan Witty for finishing first in Tyke Boys high jump, Jaydan Hayden for third in Atom Boys long jump and Sophie Hietkamp for her results.”
As for Ms. Hietkamp’s record-breaking accomplishments Mr. Smith said, “it is a huge deal and she handled herself like a true champion. I got a call from the selection committee this morning to let me know that Sophie has been selected to represent Team Northern Ontario District “H” at the Provincial Legion Track and Field Championships in St. Catherines in July. She’s been asked to compete in a number of her strongest events in the Under-16 division. If she does well at the provincial level, she may get to represent Ontario at the National Meet in Manitoba in August.
At a recent provincials qualifying event, Ms. Hietkamp told the Recorder, “I was second in the high jump at 1.55 metres, second in the long jump and fifth in the 200 metre race. I will be taking part in the Legion provincial competition, in high jump, long jump and triple jump. It is really exciting to be selected for the Northern Ontario team.”
