Seven events, two days.
Nina Schultz’s expectations were on a new provincial mark as she headed into last week’s high school heptathlon competition at the South Surrey Athletic Park.
Like the weather, those expectations changed as the two-day challenge unfolded.
The New Westminster Secondary athlete established a new standard for the heptathlon, winning her third straight B.C. title.
With four personal bests and what could be an untouchable point total, Schultz was pleased to set a new mark but disappointed in how Day 2 unravelled.
“I came into the competition wanting the record,” Schultz told the Record moments after winning the final event, the 800-metre race. “After Day 1 all my results were really good so I was aiming higher, but my Day 2 results are disappointing. I’m just happy to have the record.”
It was a weekend of records for the 17-year-old New Westminster Spartans athlete.
She broke previous bests in both the 100m hurdles, with a time of 13.98 seconds, and the high jump, reaching her goal of 1.80m.
Schultz also collected top marks in the shotput, at 11.54m, and the 200m dash, with a time of 25.26, to set the stage for a big second day.
Unfortunately, Friday’s warm and clear skies gave way to gusty cloud bursts on Saturday and set a tone that Schultz said cooled her rising expectations.
“The weather (Friday) was really good, and I actually got all personal bests in every event, so I was really happy with that. The weather started off really poor (Saturday) so that kind of interfered a little bit,” she said. “I think, for all my events I could have gotten higher, I expect more from myself. I was happy, but I honestly want more.”
She would collect first place scores in both the long jump (5.61m) and javelin (37.17m), but by the time the 800m was on the track, her mood had been dampened. Her final time in that last race kept Schultz from sounding too pleased.
“It was really poor. My PB was five seconds faster and I ran that time two years ago so I’m not really happy with it. My legs were feeling it, and that happens,” she said.
But when all was said and done, those lessened targets still saw her shatter Georgia Ellenwood’s three-year-old mark by 205 points, finishing with 5,501 points.
Schultz, who has committed to Kansas State for the fall, said she wants to finish her final high school meet this weekend with a bang, before focusing on the World Junior championships and improving on last year’s 11th place result.
Choosing Kansas State involved a fly-down in January, as well as trips to Purdue and the University of Georgia. What sold her on the program and its team of international track stars – which in the past year boasted athletes from Barbados, Jamaica, Morocco, Serbia and South Africa along with a strong U.S. contingent – was the strong presentation.
“I’m happy with my choice. I was obviously looking for a good school with a good track program. I just trusted the coach, he just seems like a really reliable person,” Schultz said.
