Posted: Oct 26, 2024

Women's Cross Country captures silver medal; Men finish fourth at provincials

By Thiago Neuenschwander
Humber Athletics Communications

KING CITY — For the first time since 2018, the Humber women's cross country team finished on the OCAA podium, earning the silver medal. Veteran Catherine Irwin finished in fourth place at 24:22, while the team finished just behind the Mohawk Mountaineers (32), the champions of this year's provincials. The Fanshawe Falcons (52) completed the podium in third place.

Irwin achieved her best time at a provincial since joining the Hawks, surpassing last year's result when she finished seventh with a time of 24:51. This year's individual champion was Mette Siemens (Sheridan), with 23:47, followed by Taylor Kampen (Seneca) with 24:01 for silver, and Rebecca Greer (St. Lawrence) with 24:02 for bronze.

Irwin was named a first team all-Ontario selection for the third time in her career (two with St. Lawrence), while rookie Sofia Peña Castillo was named to the second team with an 11th-place finish.

Women's Results - 2nd, 51 Points

4th, Catherine Irwin, 24:22
11th, Sofia Peña Castillo, 27:28
15th, Zoë Collat, 28:49
21st, Margarita Galchynska, 29:07
23rd, Samantha Wildschut, 29:11
25th, Christina Serrano, 29:21

The Hawks men's team finished just outside the podium, placing fourth with 67 points. The champion was the Fanshawe Falcons (19), followed by the Mohawk Mountaineers (59) in second, and Conestoga Condors (59) in third after a tiebreaker. All four teams will also represent Ontario at the Nationals.

The best Hawks male runner was Blaise Uglow, finishing ninth with a time of 28:54. Following him was Liam Bauman, who narrowly missed out on an OCAA All-Ontario selection with a 15th-place finish.