Surrey-area high school athletes ran to podium finishes during the 2024 cross country provincials at Jericho Park in Vancouver, including a pair of junior-division standouts.
Handsworth Secondary School hosted the B.C.-wide meet Saturday, Nov. 2, when winning teams and individuals were given banners and medals, respectively, after running in windy conditions.
In Junior races, top times in B.C. were recorded by Surrey athletes Sasha Dehal of Panorama Ridge Secondary, who won the Girls division in 16 minutes and eight seconds, and Isaiah Johnston of Clayton Heights Secondary, tops in the Boys division with a time of 14 minutes, 18 seconds.
"About 300 metres into the race, my chain came off, so I had to turn around and pick that up and slowly tried to catch up to first, it worked,” Johnston said in a video posted to BC School Sports' feed on X (formerly Twitter).
Dehal's strategy helped lead her to a provincial championship.
"I just like to get to the front and pace myself and when I feel like it's right, I try to go and just take it, basically," she said during a post-race interview.
Other podium finishes for Surrey athletes included Arjun Sandhu of Salish Secondary (second in the 3A Boys division with a time of 16 minutes, six seconds), and Pacific Academy's Jack Schulz (third in the Para/A.W.D. division with a time of 13 minutes, 46 seconds).
Runners representing White Rock Christian Academy also did well at provincials, with Vanessa Pinto and Averie Watson placing second and third, respectively, in the 1A Girls division. The school team was tops in both 1A Boys and 1A Girls divisions.
Meantime, Claremont won the 3A Boys provincial banner, and Oak Bay earned the 3A Girls banner. West Point Grey lifted both banners in the 2A divisions. Other team banners went to Handworth Secondary (Junior Boys) and Penticton Secondary (Junior Girls).
