When Carlton Crusader distance runner Matthew Quiring crossed the finish line at provincials he had only one question on his mind: ‘how long could I keep going?’.
Quiring, took top spot in the Junior Boys 3000m race during the North Central District track meet in May, then repeated that feet on the provincial stage, taking gold in the 3000m race at high school provincials in Saskatoon on June 6.
“I was actually thinking about my splits for time,” Quiring said with a chuckle when asked about the race on Thursday. “I was thinking about what I could do for a 5 km (race) if I held that pace.”
Quiring relishes the long distances. Last fall, he took second in the Junior Boys category at the SHSAA Provincial Cross-Country Championships in Yorkon. This June, he added to his medal total with the gold in the 3000m, plust a silver in the Junior Boys 1500m.
“It feels great,” said Quiring, who also placed eighth in the Junior Boys 800m. “No other way of really describing it.”
Quiring finished the 3000m with a time of 9:22.41, more than 20 seconds ahead of Walter Murray’s Henry Reeves, who came second with a time of 9:42.82. Miller’s Tobin Wedewer finished third with a time of 9:48.26.
North Battleford’s Matthew Heidel (10:07.89) and Moose Jaw’s Roque Spaan-Murray (10:10.17) rounded out the top five.
Quiring said finishing on the podium was his goal heading into provincials. A cross-country skier in the winter, Quiring credits his time on the trails for his success on the track.
“I do cross-country skiing in the winter, competitively, and that transitions over very well. The off-season training helps a lot.”
Quiring plans to keep training over the summer, and will be back in the fall for another cross-country season.
Steward grateful for shot at provincials after injuries in 2025
Kali Steward was so shocked by her performance at the SHSAA Provincial High School Track Meet she almost bowled over her coach in the process.
Steward earned a silver in the Junior Girls High Jump, finishing with a personal best leap of 1.52 meters. It was a welcome achievement for the Carlton student, who was missed provincials last year due to injury.
“It felt really good to be so accomplished at something that I probably could have done last year, but couldn’t because I was injured,” Steward said on Thursday. “It felt really good to place and beat my goals.”
Steward found herself in a battle with fellow North Central District competitor Emelie Watson of Duck Lake. Watson eventually took first with a jump of 1.65m. Meadow Lake’s Vivie Lavallee finished third with a jump of 1.50m while Assiniboia’s Emma Helland and Unity’s Natalie Bertoia rounded out the top five.
“(I was a) little nervous, like always,” Steward said. “It’s always just been a little nerve-wracking, but once I was clearing the jumps I’ve never done before, it felt really good.”
Steward nearly ran over her own coach after hitting a new personal best. Carlton track coach Patricia Taylor took it all in stride.
“She almost knocked me over with her excitement,” Taylor said with a laugh.
“I was clearing jumps that I’ve never cleared before,” Steward said with a chuckle. “It just felt so great so I ran over to Ms. Taylor and I was like, ‘this is so crazy. I didn’t think I could jump that.”
Quiring and Steward were the only two Carlton athletes to finish on the podium at provincials. Taylor said they both worked hard and deserved the success.
“I’m super pumped with both of them,” she said. “To be at the top of the province and a medalist at provincials is exceptional.”
Pole Vaulter Kingston Marsh came closest to adding to Carlton’s medal total. His jump of 3.85m was good enough for a fourth place finish in the Senior Boys category. Swift Current’s Jackson Tuplin finished first with a jump of 4.30m, while Aden Bowman’s Sam Regier and Walter Murray’s Reid Ransom took second and third respectively.
Senior Boys Discus Thrower Avery Slobodzian also just missed out on a medal. His throw of 37.56m was good enough for fifth place. MedStead’s Pablo Bedard finished in top spot, with Big River’s Josh Christiansen coming second, Regina’s Dawson Gabriel coming third, and Lake Lenore’s Kale Theis finishing fourth.
@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca
