Neepawa athlete makes it to podium at WCC

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Published on Thursday, August 4, 2016

Submitted photo. Ben Perrett (third from right) and Zoie Forgue (far right) of Neepawa, pose with several of their Team Manitoba teammates, during the Western Canada Challenge, recently held in Regina. 

By Eoin Devereux

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

Neepawa found itself well represented at the Western Canada Challenge. The event, held July 29-31 in Regina, featured some of the top track and field competitors from across the prairies. For Prairie Storm Athletics, the Neepawa based track and field club, eight members, as well as coach Bryce Koscielny, were selected to be a part of Team Manitoba in its showdown against Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Neepawa’s Ben Perrett finished his track and field season on a positive note, medalling and setting new personal bests in two individual events and a relay. Perrett opened up the meet on Friday, July 29th, running in the 800 metre. In that event, he was able to capture bronze, with a new personal best 2:05.46, smashing his previous top effort by an impressive six-seconds. Perrett followed that race up on Saturday, July 30 with a gold medal in the 300 metre, once again shattering his personal best, setting his new benchmark at 37.71. Perrett’s strong individual efforts continued as he competed in a challenging third event of the weekend, the 200 metre.  Although not his favourite race, Perrett cruised through the 200 metre heats and into the final on Sunday, finishing that race with a respectable 24.73.  After a short recovery in 30 degree temperatures, he added an impressive opening 400 meters in the team medley relay, aiding in Manitoba’s first place finish. He was also a member of the Manitoba 4x100m team, but unfortunately that team dropped the baton while leading the race.

Another notable effort came from Neepawa’s Zoie Forgue, who was also a member of Team Manitoba and finished 13th in the 100 metre and 12th in the 200 metre.  She also was on one of the province’s 4x100 metre relay teams, which placed fifth in its competition.

Prairie Storm and Team Manitoba Coach Bryce Koscielny said that the performance of Perrett and Forgue over the weekend were outstanding.

“Both athletes had very strong performances at the Western Canada Challenge.  Ben’s results were exceptional. He trained very hard throughout the year. He ended up taking a little time off to rest and recover at the end of June and beginning of July, which really allowed him to freshen up for a couple of weeks of hard practice before the competition. It was a very hot and humid three days on the track and for him to finish with the results that he did is tremendous,” noted Koscielny.“Zoie had a good weekend as well.  I thought she ran well, but came up a little shy of some personal bests.”

Other members of Prairie Storm selected to represent the province as part of the Western Canada Challenge included Tanner Mann from Neepawa, Morgan Ramsay from Rivers, Amy Klippenstein of MacGregor, as well as Charlot Butler, Bea Levin and Daniele Dyck of Brandon.  Mann, though selected for the provincial team, was unable to compete at the event due to injury.