More than 850 students from across the territory met up in Hay River from June 5-7 to compete in the 2024 NWT Track and Field Championships – and two records were broken.
Jayden Hwata, from William McDonald School in Yellowknife, jumped 4.17m in long jump in the U13 boys category. The first-year record in the age category was 4.07m, set by Kurtis Anderson in 1996. The second-year record in the U13 category is 4.77m.
In the U11 girls high jump, Louisa Henry from École Įtłʼǫ̀ in Yellowknife managed a height of 1.30m, surpassing the second-year age category record of 1.22m set by Emily Webster in 1997.
Hay River has not been able to host the territorial event since 2019, thanks to a series of unfortunate events.
“Because it’s been like, the Covid, and then the fire, and then, like, the flood,” said nine-year-old Hunter King. “It’s been that on repeat, over and over again.”
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He said it feels amazing to finally have Track and Field happening again, as he wasn’t even in school the last time it was held.
“I was just happy, excited and nervous,” he said. “I was doing my best to get faster and get better in total, because I haven’t done this before.”
The event was a first for most of the elementary school-aged athletes, who almost universally told Cabin Radio they didn’t mind the rain and were just happy to be there participating.
“You’re wet, kind-of cold, but besides that, it’s pretty nice to run in the rain. It just brings up the spirits,” said Lincoln Froese, 10, who attends Hay River’s Princess Alexandra School with King.
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“I like it here. It’s so nice,” said Setua Kotchea, a seven-year-old from Sambaa K’e who was away from home for the first time. She participated in the standing long jump, 50m race and ball throw.
“It’s raining, but then we’re here to have fun, not just to get medals,” said 11-year-old Madeline Mackenzie from Elizabeth Mackenzie Elementary School in Behchokǫ̀ before heading off to long jump.
“It’s ever good. It’s fun.”
Mackenzie’s classmate, Khloe Tinqui, said, “We’re not here to win. We’re just here to have fun, and we only live once.”
For Hay River’s high school students, it was exciting to have the event finally return.
“It’s good to see all the people here and the community coming together to make a good, strong event – and all the fun. You can even just hear the kids laughing and yelling, which is good, it’s just all smiles,” said Kaiah Carter, who had just come first in her 100m heat.
Her teammate, Camryn Hunt, said for the past few years they have practised for track and field only to see it cancelled.
“That was a little bit disappointing, but now that we actually have one, that’s pretty exciting,” said Hunt.
All photos by Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
