A week after breaking a 36 year old record Ashley Cathro opens the shoebox that once housed her track spikes. Instead, it’s full of Ziploc bags, each brimming with piles of medals and ribbons. She keeps the spikes in a bag instead. The shoebox is full.
Cathro is only 11 but she’s already earning notice for her success on the track.
She picked up six first place finishes in 11 events, all of them top three, at the Victoria Track and Field Club’s Dogwood Meet in early May.
At the recent Elementary Schools Championship Meet she set a new record in the 10-year-old girls 800 metre race with a time of two minutes and 35.5 seconds. It breaks the previous mark held by Teri Gore of Frank Hobbs elementary school from 1975.
“It’s quite an accomplishment but the story gets better,” said race organizer Tarj Mann.
She broke the 800m for nine-year-olds last year, too, he added.
Cathro also set the 12-and-under record at the 2010 Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon’s eight kilometre race, 33:20.
“I have been involved in organizing track for many, many years and this has never happened before.”
It’s safe to assume Royal Oak middle school’s track team, basketball team, soccer and rugby teams just got a boost, as Cathro is headed there next year.
