RDP Queens & Kings earn first at ACAC Running Room Indoor Track Grand Prix #2

Brent Forster – Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics

Red Deer, AB – The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens and Kings Indoor Track teams used the comforts of the Border Paving Running Track to capture first place at Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Running Room Indoor Track Grand Prix #2.

"We wanted to win on our home turf. Right now, we look strong and confident," said Kari Elliott, Red Deer Polytechnic Indoor Track Head Coach. "I am proud of both teams. It was also nice to see our student-athletes having a lot of fun."

The RDP Queens earned 52 team points. Only two points behind was the Concordia University Thunder women's team (50). The Medicine Hat College Rattlers wrapped up third (23) at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.

With 60 team points, the Kings sealed top spot among the male teams. The Concordia University Thunder placed second (49) and the Lethbridge College Kodiaks solidified third (39).

In the women's 600 m final, the Polytechnic's Halle Reid (1:48.22) earned second and Kammy Park (1:50.55) was third.

"Axsivier Lawrence competed in the men's 600 metre, but injured his achilles," explained Elliott. "We pulled him out of competition for the rest of the day, but we anticipate that he will be back for the ACAC Championships."

Justine Larson (3:15.69), a first-year RDP Bachelor of Education Elementary student, was third in the women's 1,000 m.

Larson (181), Kammy Park (183), Halle Reid and Lauren Pasiuk (184)

Impressively, Larson competed for the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Basketball team Friday evening in Olds and then made significant contributions to the Queens Indoor Track team on Saturday.

Lacombe's Daniel Szucs (4:13.82), of the RDP Kings, finished the men's 1,500 m (4:13.82) and 3,000 m (9:10.95) with the fastest times.

Larson and Reid

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens earned first place in the women's 4 x 200 m final (1:55.29), breaking the previous conference record (1:56.62), also held by the Queens. Reid, Park, Larson and Lauren Pasiuk comprised the Queens relay team.

"We worked hard in our preparation for the relay races, including our hand-offs," added Elliott.

The Lethbridge College Kodiaks took second spot (2:03.28) and the Concordia University Thunder followed in third (2:05.15).

Daniel Humbke, Jayden Wildcat, Kevin Edmondson and Ethan Duret, of the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings, (1:43.81) captured top spot in the men's 4 x 200 m relay. The Lethbridge College Kodiaks (1:44.49) were less than a second behind and the Medicine Hat College Rattlers men's team (1:45.07) sealed third.

In the women's 4 x 400 m relay, the Queens (4:28.97) wrapped up first. Once again, Reid, Park, Larson and Pasiuk competed on this relay squad. Concordia University (4:38.42) and Medicine Hat College (4:48.82) followed.

Szucs and Duret

The RDP Kings (3:47.01) rose to the top in the men's 4 x 400 m final. Szucs, Devin Saunders, Edmondson and Duret competed for the Kings.

Concordia University (3:48.04) was just over a second behind and Lethbridge College (3:49.29) placed third.

Concordia University and St. Mary's University will co-host the ACAC Indoor Track Championships from March 26-27.

For more information about Running Room Grand Prix #2, please view the online results.

Duret and Wildcat