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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-08-25, Page 19R Wednesday, August 25, 1999 19 Community Lucan's McLaughlin By Craig Bradford tion. TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF "I always draw t h e worst lanes," McLaughlin •said, point- ing out she had drawn the eighth and last out- side lane for the. beat. She explained to the offi- cials she was well out in front of the runner in the next lane at the time of the infraction and her end time wasn't near her best of the season. Her other achieve- ments include top 10 fin- ishes at OFSAA in four events (200 m, 400 m, 300 m hurdles and 400 m hurdles), gold medals at the OTFA champi- onships in the 400 m and 200 m and a silver in the 400 m hurdles. McLaughlin has set four Middlesex Conference records and tied a WOSSA record in the 400 m. She w a s seeded sixth in t h e junior nationals in the 400 m this sea- s o n McLaughlin has a trea- surecheat full of gold, silver and other medals from tha.~ numerous meets she has competed in at the high school and club levels~ LUCAN — Paula McLaughlin has closed the door on one phase of her athletic career and opened another. McLaughlin, 18, is moving on to the University of Toronto after a splendid track career at Medway High School and the St. Thomas Legion Track and Field Club. Her top career highlights include a 400 m silver at the '98 OFSAA in Sudbury as a second year junior and a silver at the Ontario Track and Field Association (OTFA) Junior Canadian Championships in Burnaby, B.C., as the anchor of the 4X400 m U-19 relay Ontario team last June. The silver at OFSAA is espe- cially sweet given the lead up to the meet that season. "It was a rocky road to get there," McLaughlin recalls. "j want to run because I love the sport. I don't want to run because I've ceived a ; o arshf atd I have to:' — LUCAN TRACK ATHLETE PAULA MCLAUGHLIN She was dis- qualified in the prelims for stepping on the line. MpL ughlin and her coachesappealed the decision which was over- turned, a rare occur- rence in OFSAA competi- Fxeter Barracudas I.C.S.A. final meet results We had a great year despite not winning the finals. Ous team placed first in every other meet and, more importantly, everyone improved tremendously. All the coaches had a great time and wish to thank all the parents who supported the team. have a great year Barracudas. Hope to see you next summer. - Submitted by the Exeter Barracudas Swim Club Event Medley Relay Medley Relay Free Relay Free Relay Free Relay Indiv. Medley Freestyle Backstroke Breaststroke Butterfly Age Girls 811- 2 Third Placing Boys 13-14 First Boys 8 & under Second Boys 9-10 First Girls 11-12 First Girls 11-12stt (B) FBoys 13-14 First Girls 8 & under First Second Girls 9-10 First Sixth Girls 11-12 First Sixth Boys 9-10 First Sixth Boys 13-14 First Girls 8 & under Second Third Girls 9-10 Fifth Boys 8 & under Second Boys 9-10 First Third Boys 13-14 First Girls 8 & under First Fourth Girls 9-10 Second Girls 11-12 First Boys 8& under F Sec nd Boys 9-10 smith Boys 13-14 Second Girls 8 & under First Second Girls 9-10 Six�h Girls 11-12 Firsi Sixth Boys 9-10 Fifth Boys 11-12 Third Boys 13-14 First 4 Competitor Susie Miner Mandy Marsden Aaron Daters Lisa McCann Megan Hodgson Melanie McCann Miranda Matucci Susie Miner Mandy Marsden Matt Miner Mac Potter Aaron Daters Megan Hodgson Lisa McCann Miranda Matucci Blair Cooper Matt Miner James M.rsden Aaron Daters Erika Maffucci Megan Hodgson Melanie Mccann Susie Miner Mandy Marsden Blair Cmper Matt Miner Mac Potter Nathan Spivey Lisa McCann Erika Mattucci Melanie McCann MeaghannEllison Ma dyy Marsden StaceyPfaff Mac Potter Sean Ellison Nathan Spivey sets her sights on track life after Medway She was named as Medway's '98 female. athlete of the year by the London Free Press. Her best 400 m time hovers at the 56.7 second mark and her best 200•41. time is around 25.5 seconds. Her high school accom- plishments this past sea- son, her first as a senior, have been disappointing due to an ankle injury and the distractions of her graduating year. She placed fourth in the 400 m at OFSAA and sixth in the 200 m. Several U.S. colleges have courted McLaughlin with offers for partial or full scholarships. She vis- ited the University of Louisville in Kentucky three times. Ohio's Bowling Green, the University- of Alabama in Birmingham and the University of Iowa have frequently called. Two Ivey League schools, Brown and the University of Pennsylvania, have also shown interest. But. in the end, McLaughlin chose to stay close to home — she is taking psychology at the University of Toronto. No full or even partial schol- arship. Most high school ath- letes are chomping at the bit for U.S. scholarships. Mci.aughlin made her decision to stay in Canada for many rea- sons. She knows the coaches at the University of Toronto and feels they are great people. It helps that the U of T was sec- ond in the country in women's track last year. Getting the attention from U.S. schools was satisfying, but McLaughlin didn't want to commit to a scholar- ship if she wound up not liking the school or her coaches. There are also bright red and white streaks of patriotism running through her (fittingly also Medway's school colours). "I want to run for a Canadian school," • • The running kind. Left _photo: Lucan's Paula McLaughlin finished a fine Medway High School track career that included a 400 m silver at OFSAA held in Sudbury in '98. McLaughliti is also holding a silver 'medal she won as a member of St.Thomas L 'on Track and Field Club's U. l 9 girls 4X400 m team at the Junior Canadian Championships yrs year in Burnaby, B.C. Right photo: Focused speed. McLaughlin is seen here racing around the curve during a 400 m heat at the '98 OFSAA Regionals at St.Thomas Parkside Collegiate Institute. McLaughlin said. "I want to run because I love the sport. I don't want to run because I've received 'a scholarship and I have to." In September the U of T coaching staff and their athletes will set goals for the season. McLaughlin plans on trying the 300 m (indoor) individually and hopes to make the 4X400 m relay team. She may also try the 600 m. She plans on continu- ing competing with the St. Thomas Legion Track and Field Club under coach Harry Stantsos. The St. Thomas club Bell overhauls and expands toll-free reach LONDON --- This Friday Bell's toll-free reach is going to be expanded to include 24 additional communities including Grand Bend, Hensall and Seaforth. The program will also link up a series of neigh- bouring communities into toll-free calling areas. The overhaul of calling areas in the London region Is part of a $200 - million program by Bell to expand and improve local service throughout Ontario and Quebec. Bell spokesperson Karen Hyponen said the Bell calling areas do not necessarily follow munic- ipal boundaries. Hyponen, said the cost of $2.50 a month for resi- dential customers has already been added to telephone bills. < By eliminating the long distance charges, Bell said it expects 99 per cent of its customers will have toll-free access to at least one Internet service provider by the end of 1999. • calls Parkside Collegiate Institute its home and is where McLaughlin must travel for practices dur- ing the outside season from March to August. During the inside sea- son, she must drive to Springbank Park or Thompson Arena. Despite 'all she has accomplished so far, McLaughlin doesn't see herself as a top athlete. She is humble and fears talking to a reporter about her exploits will only make her sound big -headed. When asked what makes her a great runner, she's quick to point out she isn't great, just that "I really work hard ,and I'm deter- mined. "I set goals, time and place," she continued. "I work hard on those goals. I train three times a week and weight lift twice a week. I commit a lot of time and effort to. track because I love it." The track and field world, like any sport, is a small one when each is isolated and viewed under a microscope. McLaughlin knows all her competitors well, but that doesn't .stop the competitive juices from flowing. "All the girls that run the 400 around here are good friends but on race day we don't hold back," she said. "When you're racing, you're racing to win but it's friendly," McLaughlin had a:: chance to rub elbows, with Canada's best' female track athletes at the Kitchener -Waterloo Record track meet in '98. There she got to -run against Ladonna Antone who ran the 400 m for Canada in the Olympics and against Foy Williams who ran the 400 m in the Pan Am Games. POLICE BRIEFS Lawnmowers stolen EXETER --- Two lawnmowers were stolen from Canadian Tire during broad daylight on Monday. Two men driving an old (70s or early 80s) grey Ford 1/2 ton pickup stole the lawnmowers from the front of the Main Street store at 12:15 p.m. The green Mastercraft self-propelled lawnmowers are valued at $1,100. Property stolen from shed USBORNE TWP. — Items were stolen from an unlocked shed on Conc. 5 on Monday. The stolen property includes a chainsaw, fishing rods and ammunition. •