Lariviere wins OFSAA bronze; St. Michael students compete at OFSAA West

Jonah Lariviere, Abby Van Bakel, Thomas Mott and Dominic Peterson headlined the St. Michael Catholic Secondary School’s contingent of athletes who competed at the OFSAA Track and Field Championship June 4-6 in St. Catharines.

Lariviere earned a bronze medal in the 800-metre run, and the graduating student described the bronze as a great punctuation mark on his high school track and field career.

“This medal is the culmination of all my training, mental preparation, lifestyle habits and so much more,” said Lariviere. “OFSAA was the pinnacle of my high school athletic career, and I’m so glad it could end on such a high note. It feels like everything I’ve been working for has just been achieved, and now I can set my sights on the next goal.

“This past season, I’ve seen a lot of improvement regarding my pre-race routine, with a lot more emphasis on eating the right things, drinking ideal fluids and visualizing the race before it even starts. Mental preparation has been key for walking into a competition feeling relaxed, even when there’s as much pressure as in an OFSAA final. I’d like to thank my coaches and parents for their continued support as well, because I could never do this without them.”

Karli Parks, Lariviere’s track and field coach at St. Michael Catholic Secondary, credited the soon-to-be Western Mustang for his ability to perform in high-pressure moments.

“Jonah (Lariviere) has come a long way as an athlete during his time at St. Michael,” Parks noted. “His success at OFSAA came from his ability to stay focused under pressure and compete with maturity. A lot of his development also comes from the dedication he shows with his track club outside of school, and it’s been great to see that commitment translate into success at the high school level. He will be competing as a Western Mustang next year, and his Warriors coaching team couldn't be more proud of his accomplishments.”

Lariviere detailed how he came away with the bronze in the 800-metre run.

“It was a really hot day, and most of the other boys had already raced a few times in other events, so I knew it would be a slow, strategic final. Being only my second race of the weekend, I was confident I had an advantage in the kick. Stepping onto the track to start the race, I felt ready for however it would play out. As the gun fired and the group settled into our pace, I was prepared to run exactly how the leaders would.

“With about 250 meters to go, two boys broke away from the pack, and I knew it was my signal to surge ahead with them,” Lariviere continued. “Keeping my eyes on second place and trying to close the gap between us was my only focus for the rest of the race.”

Van Bakel came in fourth in the senior girls’ javelin event and Thomas Mott placed eighth in the 3,000-metre run. Dominic Peterson took 12th place in the novice boys' long jump. The three qualified for the provincial final after securing top-four finishes at the regional OFSAA West event May 28-29 in Cambridge.

In Cambridge, Van Bakel took first in the javelin throw, while Mott finished second in the 3,000-metre and third in the 1,500-metre events. Peterson earned a fourth-place finish in the long jump competition to earn his spot at OFSAA.

Although Isabella Mills didn’t qualify for OFSAA, finishing eighth in the 100-metre hurdles and fifth in long jump at OFSAA West, earlier this season, Mills did set a new WOSSAA long jump record.

Other notable OFSAA West results from St. Michael Catholic Secondary students included:

Caleb Hurley- sixth in 3000-metre race and 11th in 1,500-metre race

Alexis Lealess - sixth in 100-metre hurdles

Elena Hogger - eighth in javelin

Colton Campbell - ninth in javelin and 15th in 300-metre hurdles

Johnathan Dapaah - ninth in 100-metre para dash

Dana Poppe - 13th in javelin

Lydia Pyzowski - 13th in 400-metre race

Lucas De Wit - 14th in 3000-metre race

Tyler Davis - 15th in triple jump