DEH CHO - Weeks of practice are being put to the test this week as young athletes from across the Deh Cho compete at the NWT Track and Field Championships.

Emily Hardisty, left, and Alisha Hardisty-Isaiah stand poised waiting for the signal to launch their softballs while practising ball throw. Students at Bompas Elementary School in Fort Simpson have been practising for track and field since the beginning of May. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Students from Fort Liard, Fort Simpson, Wrigley, Jean Marie River, Fort Providence, Kakisa and Trout Lake are all competing at the championships in Hay River from June 1 to 3. Fort Simpson has one of the largest track teams in the region.

Athletes from both Bompas Elementary School and Thomas Simpson School began practising at the beginning of May to prepare for the championships.

Each student chose four events to compete in.

Among the 30 Bompas athletes, the 100 metre distance is the most popular track event while ball throw is the favoured field event, said Val Gendron, one of the coaches.

All of the athletes were focused during the practices and improved, she said during an afterschool practice on May 26.

"They've been really trying hard," Gendron said.

Kristen Morrison, the coach for the Thomas Simpson School athletes, also saw progress.

The 19 students on the team practised twice a week. Each practice began with a run so the athletes could build their base cardio.

Any athlete doing the 800 metre race or farther ran from the school along the main street to the trailer court and back while the sprinters doing the 100 and 200 metre events practised on the back road.

"All of them, their time has been getting better every time," Morrison said.

Emily Hardisty is one of the Bompas athletes.

Hardisty chose to compete in running long jump, ball throw and the 100 and 200 metre races.

Hardisty said she was looking forward to going to Hay River and competing in the 200 metre race, her favourite event.

"I like running fast," she said.

In Jean Marie River, Kody Hardisty-Sangris was among five students preparing for the championships.

This is the second year Hardisty-Sangris has competed in Hay River but this time he added two new events, the 400-metre and javelin in addition to discus and shotput. Hardisty-Sangris said javelin is hard because it involves a lot of technique. His favourite event is shotput.

Hardisty-Sangris said the opportunity to meet new people in Hay River is what drew him to track and field.

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