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Cotten in fine form at provincial meet

On June 13 and 14, TD Waterhouse Stadium hosted the 2009 Ontario Junior Track and Field Championships. The competition featured some of Western’s top athletes, who earned 17 individual medals including golds won by Scott Leitch and Jen Cotten in the men’s 400 metre hurdles and the women’s heptathlon, respectively.
For Mustangs head coach Vickie Croley, however, this event is more about keeping the athletes mentally prepared and focused on training.
“Our top athletes need to be competing during the summer. They need to keep training to be successful during the year and it’s hard to be motivated to train when you aren’t competing,” she said. “It gives them motivation and experience competing at a high provincial level.”
As an added benefit for the track and field program, Croley used this weekend as a chance to show off the campus to the 2009 recruits and scout out the athletes that have yet to commit to a university.
“The junior athletes love being here. I can showcase Western and it is another opportunity to talk to the athletes I know and have a look at the kids in grade 11,” she said. “It is a huge advantage for our program.”
While this was the year’s big event for most of these athletes, this meet was merely a gateway to bigger events for two of Western’s top senior competitors. Jason Kerr and Jen Cotten used this meet as a final qualifier for the Summer University Games in Serbia. Unfortunately, neither of the two athletes was able to achieve the standard necessary to make the games.
Both athletes were also able to use this meet as a final tune-up for the National Track and Field Championships, which take place at the end of the month.
“It is pretty exciting at nationals. I was there last year during the Olympic trials, while I was new to the heptathlon. This year, Jessica Zelinka [the reigning Canadian champion and fifth place finisher at the 2008 Olympic Games] is out so it will be a little more open,” Cotten, the fifth ranked hepthathlete in Canada, said of her chances at the national meet.
“I haven’t really thought about medaling, but I am training hard to set a personal best and show that I am right there with the best.”
On top of winning gold in her event, Cotten successfully managed to set a personal best point total of 5168.
On the other hand, Kerr finished a disappointing fourth in the men’s 100 metre sprint against a star studded field that included Canadian Olympian Richard Adu-Bobie.
“Based on my training, I underachieved today. I didn’t perform,” Kerr said. “However, I am right there. I think in general, I am in the mix and at nationals I know I can get to the finals and then let my training show. Knowing I will be going up against the best in Canada has kept me motivated in training.”
Coach Croley shared her athletes’ optimism toward their chances at the upcoming national meet.
“Jason is starting to make a name for himself. He has opened up a few eyes in Canada wondering who this kid from London is,” she said. “Jen is at the point where she should be competing for a medal. The important thing for them, though, is to improve and keep getting personal best results.”

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