Runner goes the distance

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/06/2013 (4793 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jay Ort is heading back to Carman, Man. as a triple gold-medal winner. The Carman Collegiate athlete not only placed first in the junior varsity boys 800-, 1,500- and 3,000-metre races Saturday, but is also leaving with two high school records from the Milk Provincial Track and Field Championships. In addition to his gold medals, Ort was named junior varsity boys Athlete of the Meet.

The Grade 10 student set records in the 1,500- and 3,000-metre races. He finished the 1,500 with a time of 4:02.26 and the 3,000 in 8:52.59. The old records were 4:07.34 and 8:53.58 respectively.

“I had the records in mind. I wasn’t going to be disappointed if I didn’t break them but I was really hoping that I would get them,” Ort said. “It was just a great feeling to cross he finish line, hear your time and know that you’ve beat it. To know that no one else in Manitoba high school has done that before, it’s just amazing.”

While Ort is involved with other sports, such as badminton, his primary focus will always be running.

“It’s the feeling you get after a really good race, knowing that you’ve PB’d (personal best) and knowing that you pushed it really hard and did well,” Ort said. “I think the feeling after that runner’s high is something else. You can’t really explain it accurately. It’s the best part.”

Ort attributes a lot of his success and inspiration to his coach Lyle Myers. Myers has been coaching for 40 years and is always there.

“I’m so grateful that he coaches me and that he puts up with me when I’m angry or when I’m not doing too well. He’s my hero, definitely,” Ort said.

One of the things Ort admires about his coach is his ability to push him further and further.

“He pushes me really hard and he knows everything about running. He knows just what’s right for me and it works so well. I’m so grateful for someone like him,” Ort said. “It’s always like ‘oh yeah, that was a good race but you could have done a bit better.’ Even if we both know that I’ve ran it quick he’ll still say that just to give me a bit more of an edge.”

‘I had the records in mind. I wasn’t going to be disappointed if I didn’t break them but I was really hoping that I would get them’

— Jay Ort, who set records in the 1,500- and 3,000-metre races

Ort will continue to train and compete in track meets until August. He’ll take a slight break before training for the cross-country season, where Ort has won the high school championship the past two years.

This week Ort will work on making the Canadian standard in the 1500 metres. If he can clear a time of 4:01 and be one of the two fastest in the country he will have the opportunity to represent Canada at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine.

kyle.jahns@freepress.mb.ca