Parksville’s Alycia Butterworth won a silver medal in the women’s 3,000-metre steeplechase at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile on Saturday, Nov. 4.
Butterworth, a Ballenas Secondary School graduate and former member of the Oceanside Track and Field Club, completed the course in a time of nine minutes, 40.86 seconds, 1:39 behind eventual winner, Adaluz Belen Cassetta of Argentina, who set a Games record at 9:39.47.
READ MORE: PODCAST: Parksville’s Alycia Butterworth discusses her Olympic experience
Two of her former coaches in Parksville, Kim and Randy Longmuir, watched Butterworth’s race live and they were thrilled to see her earn silver.
“We were both cheering so loudly,” said Kim. “It was very emotional to watch her finish so strong. Alycia struggled with so many injuries the last few years and has never given up. She is one of the most dedicated and hard-working athletes we have ever coached and is very deserving of this medal.”
Ethan Katzberg of Nanaimo won gold in the men’s hammer throw, setting a new games record at 80.96 metres.
