‘I surprised myself,’ said the 17-year-old track star from Dawson City
Dawson City’s Jack Amos says he’s aching a bit, after his medal-winning performance on Thursday at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Ottawa.
Mostly, though, he’s feeling pretty good about his bronze medal win in the 5,000 metre (under-20) race.
Amos — who just turned 17 the day before his race — finished with a time of 15:23.68. That was about a half-second behind the silver medallist, and just seven seconds behind the gold.
Ontario’s heat wave this week has been a challenge for some athletes, but Amos says it wasn’t so bad when he raced.
“Luckily, it kind of cooled down before the race and started raining — but still like, super-humid,” he said.
Amos has been training in Victoria, B.C. since last year, but he made sure he could represent Athletics Yukon at the championships.
“It just felt so good wearing that Yukon singlet, and crossing that line in third place,” he said.
“I couldn’t have done it without the awesome people of my hometown like Dawson City — man, you guys are great.”
The 5,000 metre race was Amos’s only event at these championships. He’s set to compete again later this summer in B.C. and says there’s a chance he’ll be going to the National Youth Track and Field championships in August, “if work permits.”
Dawson City’s Jack Amos wins title at Alberta track event
4 medals for Frotten
Amos wasn’t the only Yukoner to earn a medal this week in Ottawa.
Para athlete Jessica Frotten has won four medals in wheelchair racing — three gold, in the 5,000 metre, 400 metre, 800 metre and a silver in the 1,500 metre.
She races for the Cyclones Athletics in Saskatchewan but she grew up in Whitehorse.
“This is just kind of wrapping up my season,” she said.
The heat this week has been bit tough, she said.
“When I came across the line in the 5,000, I was a little delirious … cold water’s never felt so good!”
