By Larry Moko
The road to OFSAA 2026 included one final tuneup meet for many of its track and field competitors.
On May 8, almost 1,000 athletes from 27 Hamilton- and-area high schools gathered at Mohawk Sports Park for the fourth-annual May Madness event.
It serves as a "practice" meet prior to the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference championships --also at the Mohawk site -- on May 15, 21 and 22.
At GHAC, the top five finishers in each category will advance to South Regionals on May 28 and 29. And there, the top four per event qualify for the provincial high school championships.
Both South Regionals and OFSAA -- June 4-6 -- are scheduled to be held at Niagara Olympic Club in St. Catharines.
Simon Castelli of the St. Mary Crusaders says his May Madness race was beneficial in the training process. He won the junior boys' 800 metres in 2 minutes, 8.2 seconds.
"Some of the guys I'm racing today I'll be racing later, down the road, like at GHAC in qualifying for OFSAA," Castelli said. "So I had to get the confidence in knowing I could beat them at elimination meets."
A Grade 10 student, Castelli won a junior boys' 5K title at last fall's GHAC cross-country championships in Milton.
"These are the kind of meets you have to do if you want to do well at those other ones. You can't just go in without racing before the important meets."
Castelli also took part in a club race the night before May Madness. He won that 3K in a PB time of 9 minutes, 18 seconds.
"So I was running today on tired legs," he said.
But that was an intentional strategy for Castelli. "You've got to practise racing twice in a short period of time because at GHAC there is one race and the next day there is another. So you've got to practise running on tired legs."
Sophie Dobbin of the St. Jean de Brébeuf Braves also is a club runner. She placed second in the senior girls' 800m (2:34.42).
"I think this meet is really important," she said. "It's a great way to get people warmed up and introduced to the season."
Last year at May Madness, Dobbin finished first in the junior 800. And at South Regionals she came seventh. Her goal this year is a personal best time and a berth at OFSAA.
"I'm in Grade 11," Dobbin said. "I've got one more year and then I can hopefully run for a university."
Unlike Hamilton's first meets of the season -- Mark Graham Memorial and McMaster relays -- May Madness offers 200m, steeplechase, 800m and 400m races.
"It gives those athletes an opportunity to get some seed times," May Madness convenor Julie Kersley said.
First-place finishers from the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board included Zion Gough of the St. Thomas More Knights. He took top honours in novice boys' javelin (29.20m), discus (29.93m) and shot put (12.20m).
Other H-W Catholic winners were: Odaya Yamadjako, Bishop Ryan, SG triple jump, 9.80; Anthony Tassone, Cathedral, SB discus, 28.67; Alina Finochio, Tonnos, NG shot put, 8.97; Latoya Fletcher, More, SG high jump, 1.40; Antonio Albino, Brébeuf, SB shot put, 11.46; Reese FitzGibbon, Tonnos, JG shot put, 11.45m; Bryer Ryzlak, Cathedral, SB triple jump, 12.38; Adam Klotz-Foglietta, Brébeuf, JB discus, 37.93; Morel Tonleu, Brébeuf, JB triple jump, 11.56; Lily MacIntosh, Tonnos, NG high jump, 1.45; Isabella Policelli, Tonnos, NG discus, 21.43; Mackenzie Whitehouse, More, SG shot put, 9.30; Yuvraj Ari, Bishop Ryan, SB high jump, 1.80; Reese FitzGibbon, Tonnos, JG discus, 29.30; Juliet Nguyen, More, Para 800, 4:33.35; Elija Ibrahim Adekunmi, Brébeuf, JB 300m hurdles, 45.60; Isla Cristiano, Tonnos, JG 200, 27.27; Maleik Allen, More, SB 200, 22.78; Mohammed Abbass, Bishop Ryan, NB 800, 2:12.24; Kai Jeremie, Bishop Ryan, JB 400, 54.25; Ben Casey, Brébeuf, SB 400, 52.46; JG 4x100, Tonnos, 54.20; SB 4x100, More, 44.49.
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
More photos on the HWCDSB Athletics Facebook page here
