Although a number of the District H (Northeastern Ontario) athletes performed quite well at the recent Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Toronto, it was only sprinter Annabelle Richardson who broke through to that hollowed ground, cracking the Team Ontario roster for nationals.

Finishing second only to Tori D'Angela from Hamilton in the 100m dash (the girls actually flipped placings from their race in the OFSAA Novice Girls final in June) and sliding just outside of the medals in the 200m distance (4th place), Richardson did enough to secure a spot that will allow her to represent her province in the 100m, 200m and 4 X 100m relay at the Legion National Youth Track & Field Championships in Calgary from August 8th to the 10th.

A rising star with coach Robert Esmie and the Air Blastoff crew, Richardson dueled it out with teammate and North Bay native Andreena Pizzoferrato, notably in the 100m as the pair were separated by just 4/100th of a second (12.83 vs 12.87 seconds).

Taking her first stab at a pentathlon, Lockerby Composite student Mila Beljo bested Jayden Robinson of Oshawa in the five-event circuit, taking first in the high jump (1.42m), the long jump (4.64m) and the 800m (2:43.30), the latter essentially accounting for her 400 point victory.

Other Sudbury and area medal winners included Maxime Belzile of Track North Athletic Club (silver in U16 1500m steeplechase - 4:40.69), Rowan Frood (bronze in U16 200m hurdles - 28.96), Mackenzie Roy of Air Blastoff (bronze in U16 800m - 2:23.61), Melina Doiron of Air Blastoff (bronze in U18 100m dash - 11.98) and Jacob Paille of Air Blastoff (bronze in the U18 400m - 50.01).