A local thrower is heading to Winnipeg to represent Drumheller.
St. Anthony’s student, 15 year old Payton Zacharuk is part of the University of Calgary Athletic Club (UCAC) team.
She has made Team Alberta and will be heading to the Tri Province Western Canada Challenge at the University of Manitoba Stadium from July 17 to 19 with her teammates.
This is her first year on the UCAC team. Previous to this she was part of a club in Airdrie.
At the Caltalf trials this spring, she finished fourth in discus, fifth in javelin, sixth in hammer throw and ninth in shot put.
When asked why she decided to start competing in track she said, “We had to do it in grade six for school and I guess I liked it plus my older sister did it too.”
This year, Zacharuk moved from the midget category to the youth category, which covers ages 17 and under.
Her mom, Elizabeth, said she is, “proud of her, she has done really, really well.”
“I think if she places in the top 10 in this, she will be pretty happy. There are some pretty good throwers,” Elizabeth said.
When it comes to sportsmanship, Elizabeth said Payton always shows it.
“She gets along with all the girls from Edmonton, Manitoba, everywhere. It has been really good, I think, to get her out of Drumheller a bit (and) around other kids from different places and to travel. We travelled to B.C. last year and she did quite well. We travel all over the place for track meets and she meets kids. Sportsmanship is number one with our family because she comes from a long line of athletes,” Elizabeth said.
“That’s just how it is. Even (when) she had stepped over the line and they didn’t see it, she told them, and it was the best throw of the track meet. She was honest, that’s just how she is,” Elizabeth said.
Payton said she feels “it will be a good experience” for her.
Elizabeth is travelling with Payton and the team as a chaperone.
