Star athlete getting the jump on track career
Rebekah ends high school career by setting provincial record
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/06/2016 (2471 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Rebekah Eckert wins in style.
The Grade 12 track star from Murdoch MacKay Collegiate brought home two gold medals at the recent 2016 MHSAA Milk Provincial Track & Field Championships in Brandon, Man., both in convincing fashion.
Eckert warmed up by winning the varsity girls long jump with a jump of 5.39 metres.
A good showing for her second-favourite event, but Eckert was only getting warmed up.
She said her best event is the triple jump, where she is ranked No. 1 in Canada in her age group. First came the qualification round, where she posted a best jump of 12.02 metres.
“I expected something similar (in the next round)” Eckert said.
Eckert said she felt good leading up to the medal round, posting a jump of 11.63 metres on a preliminary short approach, which is a solid showing when using that method.
That good feeling continued as the event neared. Eckert had a good warm-up and said she felt loose and ready to go. That’s when the schedule threw a bit of adversity her way.
“I warmed up early, but the other event was behind,” Eckert said. “I feared losing my warmup.”
Eckert kept warm under a blanket and waited patiently for the earlier event to finish.
Her showing suggests the delay did not hurt her. Eckert posted a jump of 12.62 metres, which is a provincial record, and 1.38 metres longer than the second-place finisher, Lord Selkirk’s Amy Wiebe.
Setting a record wasn’t on Eckert’s mind, she admitted.
“My goal wasn’t to break the record, it was to jump 13 metres. That would have broken the record, but I was thinking about the world juniors.”
Eckert had to contend with a strong wind, an obstacle which makes her achievement even more impressive.
While Eckert excels at both the triple and long jumps, the former is her favourite, she said.
“With the long jump you can add a bit to your best, but with the triple jump you can work to improve each step (of the process).”
Not bad results for someone who only began to regularly train in Grade 11.
Eckert plans on continuing her track career in university and is mulling over a couple of offers.
“I hope to make a decision soon,” she said.
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