Elmira athletes broke two records at the Waterloo County track and field championships last week, and vied for medals in 16 events at the regional meet this week.

In the senior girls’ 400-metre hurdles, Madeline Charnuski shaved more than two seconds off the previous record, with a time of 1:08.06. And in senior girls’ javelin, Mel Blake bested her own record toss of 33.51 metres, set last year, with a 36.09-metre throw.
EDSS holds records in 10 girls’ events at the WCSSAA level, tied with Bluevale Collegiate. Several of those are courtesy of Charnuski’s older sister Olivia and distance runner Tarah McKay, who have since graduated and who hold six records between them.
Blake was the top seed in her event heading into this week’s CWOSSA competition. EDSS sent nine athletes to the regional meet, held Wednesday and Thursday at Resurrection Catholic Secondary School. The top six finishers in each event will advance to the provincial championships.
After the first day of competition, several students had placed well enough to move on: Nick Timmerman was second in senior boys javelin; Lydia Frey fifth in junior girls discus; Mel Blake third in javelin; Jordan Moore fourth in midget boys high jump; and Madeline Charnuski finished fourth in both 100 metre and 400 metre hurdles.