Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – With five of the past six ACAC Indoor Track championships in their trophy case, the MacEwan Griffins women's squad appears in good shape to contend for a seventh (and fifth-straight) as the new season begins this weekend.
Not only do they return all of their medalists from last March's ACAC Championship – including ACAC indoor track athlete of the year Ember Large – they've added rookie Kiana Row, who was a Canada West second team all-star back in October.
"It looks really good for us this year," said head coach Drew Carver. "We had a few races where we went up against ACAC competition in cross country and the women's side definitely handled it well. Their performance was top of the pile, so I'm expecting that to carry over to the indoor season, barring any injuries or illnesses."
The Griffins will kick off the season on Saturday when they hit the track at the Kinsmen Centre for their host meet – the MacEwan Invitational ACAC Running Room Grand Prix #1. Events begin at 9:30 a.m.
Large, who won four medals during the 2019 ACAC Championship – gaining enough points to edge out teammate Emma Steele for the track athlete of the year honour – returns to lead the Griffins. Some of her biggest competition will come from her own team as Steele returns after dominating the distance events across the conference last season.
Then there's Row, who was the top Griffins finisher at every event in the fall, except the national championship. Ashley Tymkow also has the potential to top her teammates.
"Each athlete has their own approach to racing," said Carver. "I know for Kiana, cross-country is her strongest suit. Emma was the same thing. But the best part about it is Emma is she's another year older and another year wiser. Her approach to racing is that much more improved. I look forward to Emma's performance indoors this year. She's pushing herself pretty hard.
"The other one who's champing at the bit to get out from under their shadow is Ashley Tymkow,' he added. "She's had some great cross-country races where she led Emma and Ember. We're going to take a little bit different approach for Ashley this indoor season and focus a little bit more on speed and see if we can have her doing well in the 600, 1000 and 1500."
To top it off, Shaunice Burgers, who raced to silver medals in the 300 and 600-metres last March, returns as MacEwan will have a strong chance of taking key points in the sprint events, too.
Sprinting remains the strong suit of the MacEwan men's team as their entire dominant 4x400 gold-medal winning relay squad – Thomas Cross-Trush, Reece Runco, Caelan Begg and Connor Swaby – returns. All remain in contention for individual sprinting medals, too.
Whether or not that can carry the men's team to the title remains to be seen, especially since the Griffins will have a predominantly rookie distance group after 2019 bronze medalist in the 3000, Scott Kohlman, decided not to compete this season.
"The men's side, we're looking strong in the sprints right now and our distance guys are right in the thick of it," said Carver. "I'm hoping we don't have a second-place finish like we have the last three years, but if everything falls together in the right way, we should be looking at a top finish. But I don't like counting my chickens until they come to roost."
Cross-country team rookies James Thompson, Oliver Fenske, Thomas Williams and Mason Burtnik form the bulk of that distance group. Carver noted they're all getting used to running on a track, though.
"They'd be happy running on a cross-country course or a triathlon course, but this track business is different," he said. "So, that's going to be the learning curve for the season is getting used to that track. Can they get used to it fast enough to be effective?"
He will find out more this weekend on their home track. The MacEwan Invitational is always a great opportunity for Carver to test his athletes at various distances before the medals are passed out at the March 21-22 ACAC Championship at the University of Alberta Pavilion.
"All of the races are training races," he noted. "So, we go in knowing what the workouts are they did before. When they race, I expect to see a certain time, knowing they might go into this track meet fatigued, but they have to meet their first split, their second split and I want to see the finishing drive. Even though the time might be off, I want to see the splits hit.
"They might cross the line and tell me they were absolutely done, and they didn't have a kick. That's fine. As long as they go in and work towards the goals that we set out. As I always tell them, 'just stick to the race plan.' "
