MANITOULIN—Two Manitoulin Secondary School (MSS) Mustangs cross-country runners will be taking part in the Canadian National Cross-Country Championships. Both Maren Kasunich and Xavier Mara will be competing in the Nationals taking place in Ottawa on November 26.
“Athletics Ontario has selected Maren Kasunich for the under 18 girls team representing Ontario in the Nationals,” said MSS cross-country coach Gerry Holliday. “I was tickled pink that she was named to Team Ontario after everything that took place at the OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association) championship” held in early November in Uxbridge.
Maren, who had won a gold medal in the Northern Ontario championships, finished in a strong eighth place among the 240 runners in the senior womens’ six-kilometre race at OFSAA. Mr. Holliday had explained in the race at OFSAA (Ontario Federation of Secondary Athletic Association) he saw Maren with about 50 metres to go in the race and everything appeared to be fine but after she crossed the finish line she went to the tent and then ‘dropped,’ with the extreme heat and probably suffering from dehydration in the sweltering heat the day of the provincials.
Maren has never raced at the Canadian National Championships although she may have last year if not for knee injury.
“Xavi Mara will be running in the under 18 boys’ division five-kilometre race,” said Mr. Holliday. “He will be running for the Track North team.” Xavi was 38th among the 248 runners at OFSAA. He finished in seventh place at NOSSA.
