Ruky Abdulai and Helen Crofts paced Valley Royal performances Saturday afternoon at the Emilie Mondor meet held at Simon Fraser University. In weather conditions that for a change featured sunny and mild temperatures but with head winds, Ruky Abdulai and Helen Crofts both performed well.
Abdulai, back in action after taking a year off to have her first child, had no trouble in winning both the women’s long jump (6.17m) and 200 meters (25.79). Crofts, who is best known as an 800-meter specialist, ran the 400 meters on Saturday and had no trouble winning that event (55.49). It was a good start to the season for both athletes who next week travel to Los Angeles were they will be joined by Jessica Smith and Mike Mason at the Mt Sac Relays.
Three Valley Royal secondary school aged runner’s recorded personal best performances. Hannah Konrad dipped under the 60’second mark for the first time in the 400-meter event placing second in her section with a 59.72 clocking. Sixteen year old Tanner Geary and 17-year old Aidan Bingert both came up with personal bests in the first section of the men’s 800 meters. Geary held on to the pace for the first 600 meters then took the lead to and held on to win in 2:02.22. Bingert who had led the race for most of the way was rewarded with a third place finish and a personal best 2:03.76.
Sixteen-year-old Josh Adehemar ran his first ever 400-meter hurdle event and came
up with a creditable time of 60.77.
Full results of the meet can be found at: www.tfrrs.org/results/35229.html