STANFORD, Calif. – The UBC Thunderbirds Track and Field team officially kicked off their 2023 competitive season Saturday at Stanford University's Cardinal Classic.
Facing some tremendous competition from both NCAA and NAIA schools, the meet saw some strong results for the 'Birds along with six early qualifications to the National Championships set for Marion, Indiana in late May.
"It was a great rust buster for some power speed athletes who haven't had the opportunity to compete for UBC since last May," said UBC head coach
Laurier Primeau who guided the T-Birds women's team to the 2022 National Championship. "Secondly, it was an excellent venue for some of our freshmen to shake off the nervousness that comes in tandem with competing at the university level for the first time. And thirdly, we put an early mark on the NAIA with six National 'A' Standards and five National 'B' Standards."
If the first event of the season opening meet for the T-Birds is any indication of how UBC's year will progress, there's plenty to be excited about as both
Cameron Kuziak and
Daniel Smart-Reed met NAIA 'A' Standard, qualifying for the 2023 National Championship. Smart-Reed reached 62.92 metres for a new personal best and a fourth place meet finish. Kuziak's second attempt hit 62.59 metres, also a new personal best and good for fifth.
In his first meet as a Thunderbird, freshman
Matthew Uliana promptly earned himself an automatic national qualification in men's hammer throw with a 62.02 attempt, finishing fourth at the meet.
Sophomore T-Bird
Emma Rastad had a tremendous season opener finishing fourth in women's long jump at 5.78 metres, meeting 'A' standard. Fellow sophomore
Rebecca Dutchak met 'B' standard with her longest attempt reaching 5.67 metres.
The 2022 NAIA women's javelin bronze medallist, T-Bird junior
Giovanna Janes, will get another crack at national championship gold this year after securing 'A' standard Saturday afternoon. Janes' top throw of 43.18 metres also earned her a fourth place meet finish.
Continuing a stellar day in field events in particular for the blue and gold, sophomore hammer thrower
Michelle Dadson has earned a trip back to nationals with a top attempt Saturday of 51.30 metres and a sixth place finish. Placing one spot behind her was teammate
Isabella Hall who earned 'B' standard with a 50.15 metre throw.
Junior
Allison MacDonald's first triple jump competition of the season saw her make 'B' standard with a top attempt of 11.64 metres.
Over on the track, freshman multi event specialist
Nate Paris set a time of 15.62 in the men's 110 metre hurdles, finishing in sixth and just two one hundredths shy of an automatic national championship qualification.
While Paris' hurdles event was the only standard met on the track Saturday, several others came incredibly close in a meet intended to serve as a solid starting point for the season.
The women's 4x100 metre relay finished second in their heat and fifth overall with a time of 48.15, just shy of the 48 seconds even required for 'B' standard.
Dutchak also competed in the 100 hurdles and finished seventh in a field of 23, missing 'B' standard by just one tenth of a second.
All told it was a highly successful initial meet of the season for the T-Birds who now quickly turn their focus to their lone home meet of the year, the 2023 UBC Open which takes place this coming Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26 at the newly resurfaced Rashpal Dhillon Oval.
FULL RESULTS
