On track for bigger things

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TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS archives Sanford Collegiate�s Melanie Baran runs the 400 metres at the Canadian Junior Track and Field Championships at the University of Manitoba last July.

Sometime over the next three days, Melanie Baran's high school track and field career will officially come to an end.

Baran will cross the finish line -- she hopes in first AND with personal bests in any or all of her three events -- and with that, one door will close while another opens.

The 17-year-old Sanford Sabres student will head to California in the fall as a member of the Fresno State track team.

"I've been running since the end of Grade 9, and starting this year, a lot of universities started giving me offers," Baran said Wednesday at a press conference kicking off this week's 2012 Milk Provincial High School Track and Field Championships.

"I went to a meet last year in New York, and that got me a lot of exposure. Plus, my coach has been in contact with a lot of coaches."

All told, five schools made offers to Baran: Fresno State, Western Michigan, University of Montana, Washington State and the University of New Mexico.

But chasing that dream, at least until the weekend is over, will have to wait. Baran is living in the here and now, and that begins with the opening of the provincials today in Selkirk.

"I hope to go out on a high note," Baran said. "I definitely want to medal, and hopefully I can get some personal bests. I'd love to get gold in the 400 -- that's always been my event -- and medal in the 800 as well.

"I feel like even though this is the end of something, it also is a new beginning as well."

Baran will be one of approximately 1,500 athletes, representing more than 120 schools, who will be competing in 70 different events at the Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive track today, Friday and Saturday.

She's not the only athlete who will extend their track careers into university.

Kelvin's Levi Neufeld, who captured four gold medals last year (400m, 800m, medley relay, 4x400m relay), is heading to Trinity Western University in B.C.

"A pipe dream for me would be to break the 800-metre record, but that's pretty fast," said Neufeld, one of seven athletes who attended the press conference to promote the championships.

"That was set by Eric Sproll (of St. Paul's, in 2001 with a time of 1:53:08) a long time ago. I'm about four seconds off (the record) from my best time last year. My 400 time has improved, so hopefully I'll have more speed this year.

"It's not something I obsess about, but I would like to break it. I do play other sports... ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, basketball, and I'd like to think I have something of a social life."

Asked what courses he'd be taking at university, Neufeld cracked: "I don't know yet. I guess I'd better figure that out soon."

The championships begin today at 12:15 p.m. and run until 8 p.m. with the evening awards ceremony. Competition resumes Friday at 9:15 a.m. and wraps up at 8. Saturday's schedule calls for a 9 a.m. start, with the awarding of team banners at 4:30 p.m.

For up-to-date results and championship information, visit the event web page at www.mhsaa.ca.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

ATHLETES TO WATCH (Courtesy MHSAA)

JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS

Geselle dela Merced, Sisler: long jump, triple jump, 80m hurdles

Jessica Gundrum, Westmount (Swan Lake): long jump, triple jump, 80m hurdles

Teegan Turner, Nelson McIntyre: 100m, 200m

Tarina Ready, Vincent Massey (Wpg): 800m, 1,500m

JUNIOR VARSITY BOYS

Kevin Roesler, River East: 800m, 1,500m, 3,000m

Michael Medal, Sisler: high jump, 100m, medley relay, 4x400 relay

Jamie Dumaran, Sisler: 100m, long jump, triple jump

Kirk Wright, Kelvin: tetrathlon, medley relay

VARSITY GIRLS

Melanie Baran, Sanford: 400m, 800m, medley relay

Taylor Sprague, Kelvin, 80m, 800m, 1,500m

Amy Graceffo, Glenlawn: 80m, javelin, long jump

Erin Teschuk, St. Mary's Academy: 800m, 1,500m

Julia Zrinyi, Vincent Massey (Wpg): 800m, 1,500m

VARSITY BOYS

Brendan Cuaresma, Sisler: 400m, 800m, 4x400 relay, medley relay

Alhaji Mansaray, River East: high jump, triple jump, 100m

Josh Dyck, River East: 800m, 1,500m

Levi Neufeld, Kelvin: 800m, 1,500m, 4x400m relay, medley relay

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 7, 2012 C4