Kings and Queens crowned at Indoor Track Running Room Grand Prix #2

Red Deer, AB - In a very competitive Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Indoor Track Running Room Grand Prix #2, the Red Deer College Kings and Queens came out on top.

With several races decided by fractions of a second, the hosts used the comfort of their home track at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, earning the most team points.

RDC Head Coach Kari Elliott felt the first Indoor Track Grand Prix ever hosted at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre was a success.

"The times were good. It was a great competitive experience. The athletes were happy," she said. "The venue hosted brilliantly. There was enough room for spectators. I think we will be doing it again."

There were many tremendous performances from the participating post-secondary institutions. Following the Queens (58 points), were the MacEwan University Griffins Women's team (52) and Lethbridge College Kodiaks (27).

The Red Deer College Kings earned first place in the men's division with 56 team points. The SAIT Trojans (37) captured second and Concordia University finished third with 24 points, edging out the Lethbridge College Kodiaks, who also had 24 points.

"We are really pleased to come out for the second meet and be as strong as the first," stated Elliott. "To have a bit more of a fuller representation from across the conference, it was a bigger challenge and I think we met it on home turf."

Queens' Shayla Sklaruk (1:38.30) led the pack in the women's 600 metre final by over four seconds.

Ember Large (3:10.00), of the MacEwan University Griffins, grabbed first place in the women's 1,000 m final, just over two seconds ahead of RDC's Sklaruk (3:12.09).

MacEwan University grabbed the top two positions in the women's 1,500 m. Kiana Row (5:16.88) and Large (5:18.29) paced the group.

In an extremely close women's 3,000 m final, SAIT's Ann Danard (11:40.04) edged out U of A Augustana's Reese Bendiksen (11.40.24) by two-tenths of a second for top spot.

In the women's 4 x 200 m relay final, the RDC Queens (1:56.62), consisting of Shaelyn Moltzahn, Sandra Garcia-Bernal, Bobbie Osborne and Sklaruk, earned first. The Lethbridge College Kodiaks (1:57.94) were about a second behind, followed by the MacEwan University Griffins (1:58.62). 

Concordia University Thunder standout Leonard Chesoo (1:24.88) wrapped up first place in the men's 600 m, over two seconds quicker than RDC's Will Cebuliak (1:27.17).

Only 19 hundredths of a second separated the first and third place male runners in the 1,000 m final. Stephen Rowley (2:42.41), of the Red Deer College Kings, came out on top. SAIT rounded out the top three. Brant Lauweryssen (2:42.50) and Michael Stewart (2:42.60) closely followed.

Chesoo (4:04.04) had another strong race in the men's 1,500 m, finishing first by over 19 seconds.

RDC's Devin Saunders (9:16.00) led the men in the 3,000 m final.

The MacEwan University Griffins won the men's 4 x 200 m. Connor Swaby, Omar Medina, Caelen Begg and Thomas Williams completed the relay in 1:38.34. SAIT (1:40.17) was second and RDC (1:40.49) finished third.

For a list of the complete results, please look online.

The Concordia University Thunder will host the ACAC Indoor Track Championships on March 21 and 22.