LANDOVER, MARYLAND – After a two-year hiatus forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Youth Track and Field Championships (IYC) roared back to life in 2022 as a global event for tomorrow’s champions. In 2023, Landover, Maryland again welcomed the world to the most exciting and competitive youth track and field championship on earth.
With more than 2,000 athletes registered to compete over the three days of competition, from July 14-16, this year’s IYC saw the biggest contingent of athletes in the meet’s history, and the roster included athletes from more than 350 teams hailing from more than 25 U.S. states, Canada, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Kenya.
In order for athletes to be eligible to compete at the IYC they had to meet one of two criteria set out by the organizing committee; they needed to place in the top eight in any of the dozen or so qualification meets held across the U.S. throughout the months of May, June and July, or they had to meet the very difficult qualification standard for their events. This meant that athletes outside the U.S. needed to qualify by hitting the qualification standards.
For the first time in club history, the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track club sent three athletes to compete at the IYC. One of them was Emmett Leary, as part of the Minor Track Association’s 40-member Team Ontario, and the grandson of Listowel’s Brian and Rebecca Leary.
Leary, who was competing as part of Team Ontario was not originally slated to run in the boys’ U14 3,000-metre race, had his team decide to move him up to this race from the 800m, as Leary had proven himself to be one of Ontario’s top longer middle-distance runners at recent competitions. Leary came into the race with the third fastest time but was determined that, despite the heat of the day, he could knock some time off his previous personal best.
Leary crossed the finish line in first place, winning the gold medal and his first international medal in a time of 9:31.30. Not only was his time fast enough to set a new championship meet record, but it was also fast enough to set a new MTA Ontario provincial record, breaking the old record of 9:34.80 which had stood since 1997. This was Leary’s third age-group Ontario provincial record, having set the U14 2,000-metre record the previous year.
Leary, fresh off his 3,000m victory on the previous Friday, was excited and ready for his U14 1,500m race on July 16. He admitted that his hard run a couple days before had left him stiff and sore, but he was confident that he could have another great race.
He managed to hold the lead for most of the race but with approximately 150 metres remaining, the three boys who were sticking with Leary started their kick. He managed to hold onto third place, earning the bronze medal as he crossed the line.
The Georgian Bay Coyotes Track club, based in Meaford, will next compete at the MTA Ontario Provincial Championships on July 29-30.
