BY JOHN DECOSTE

Kings County Register

With a pair of first place finishes at NSSAF track and field provincials, Marissa Walter cemented her reputation as one of the elite sprinters in Nova Scotia.

With one more year of high school remaining, the Grade 11 student from Central Kings will likely add to her accomplishments.

Walter, a Coldbrook resident, won both the senior girls’ 100 and 200 metre races at the June 6 and 7 competition at the Met Field in Sackville. She ran the 100 in 12.56 seconds and the 200 in 25.88.

Walter’s two gold medals were among six won by Kings County athletes at the meet.

In the intermediate girls’ division, Britany MacArthur of NKEC and Hilary Rawding of West Kings continued their friendly rivalry in the distance races. MacArthur, winner of the 800, 1,500 and 3,000 metres at both districts and regionals; won the 800 at provincials, was third in the 1,500 and fourth in the 3,000. Rawding won the 3,000, was second behind MacArthur in the 800 and was also second in the 1,500.

The other major story was the continued excellence of the Coldbrook junior girls, especially in the sprint events. Kaissa Van Meekeren won the junior girls’ 100 metres, and Jessica Monette was second in the 400. Van Meekeren, Monette, Jennifer Poirier and Emily Nickerson teamed up to place second in the 4X100 relay and fourth in the 4X400.

The other Kings County gold medalist at the meet was Dustin Poirier of Central Kings, an all-round athlete, in the senior boys’ javelin.

There were lots of other top performances, including a total of 16 medals, two of which – gold in the senior girls’ shot put and silver in the senior girls’ 4X100 relay – were won by Taya McGillivary, a Port Williams native who attends Kings-Edgehill.

Gillian Tetlow of NKEC was third in the junior girls’ discus (as well as a respectable sixth in the shot put). Also in junior girls, Kelsey Schofield placed fourth in the javelin. The junior boys’ 4X100 relay team from EMS placed fifth.

Andrew Jennings-Lindsay of Central Kings was third in the intermediate boys’ shot put, one of four top-five finishes by the C.K. intermediate boys. Matt Butt was fourth in the discus, Alex McCarthy fourth in the 800 and Connor Simmons tied for fifth in high jump.

In intermediate girls, Alana Fairfax of C.K. was fourth in the 400 (and sixth in the 200), Sarah Thomas of West Kings was fifth in the 800 and Rachael Blezy of West Kings was fifth in the high jump.

In senior girls, Robyn McNeill of Central Kings was fourth in both the 1,500 and 3,000 metres, Heidi Stirling of Horton was fourth in the 400 and Christine Manning of NKEC tied for fourth in the pole vault.

In senior boys, Greg Theriau of Horton was third in the hurdles, and teammate Jeremy Dunn was fourth in the javelin.