Greater Victoria athletes shine at cross country championships

Island championships
St. Michaels University School athlete Nella Meinecke approaches the finish line at the Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park Wednesday (Oct. 18). Meinecke came in third place in the senior girls race. See story on page A8. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)Island championships St. Michaels University School athlete Nella Meinecke approaches the finish line at the Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park Wednesday (Oct. 18). Meinecke came in third place in the senior girls race. See story on page A8. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)
Tyler Browne from Oak Bay High School finishes second in the senior boys race at the 2023 Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)Tyler Browne from Oak Bay High School finishes second in the senior boys race at the 2023 Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)
Claremont Secondary School’s Mady Eames runs at the 2023 Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships Wednesday at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. She finished in second place in the senior girls race with a time of 20:10. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)Claremont Secondary School’s Mady Eames runs at the 2023 Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships Wednesday at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. She finished in second place in the senior girls race with a time of 20:10. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)
Francis Muyaba from Stelly’s Secondary School races in the senior boys race at the 2023 Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)Francis Muyaba from Stelly’s Secondary School races in the senior boys race at the 2023 Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)
Oak Bay High School’s Charli Mlotshwa talks with friends after finishing first in the senior boys race at the Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships on Wednesday (Oct. 18). (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)Oak Bay High School’s Charli Mlotshwa talks with friends after finishing first in the senior boys race at the Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships on Wednesday (Oct. 18). (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)
Stelly’s Secondary School Lily Macgregor races in the senior girls race at the 2023 Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)Stelly’s Secondary School Lily Macgregor races in the senior girls race at the 2023 Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)

Some of the fastest high school runners in B.C. competed at the Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park.

Oak Bay High School’s Charli Mlotshwa finished in first place in the senior boys race Wednesday (Oct. 18) with a time of 16:05.

His teammate Tyler Browne came in second in 16:40. Browne was last year’s senior boys B.C. cross country champion.

“I’m very happy with the win today,” Mlotshwa said. “This means a lot, especially racing in front of the home crowd. It’s a big factor. The race felt smooth at the beginning and then I started to feel it in my legs in the second lap. I pushed through.”

Oak Bay High School came away with the team title for senior boys with an average time of 17:28.

Alexa Dow from Frances Kelsey Secondary School took home the crown in the senior girls race in 18:22.

Claremont Secondary’s Mady Eames finished in second with a time of 20:10.

Claremont also took home the senior girls team title with an average time of 22:05.

Cross countryGreater Victoria