16 Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor “Connected to your Community” [email protected] Sports Loyola student headed to youth track worlds Thursday, July 4, 2013 | July 4, Thursday, | Just a few short months ago, Bridget O’Neill never At the Ontario 10,000m championships May 5 in would have imagined she’d be competing at the IAAF London, in her first 800m of the club season, O’Neill World Youth Championships. won the race in a time 2:09.96 — easily eclipsing the “It just kind of happened,” the 16-year-old Loyola World Youth Championships qualifying standard of high school student said of qualifying for the interna- 2:13.50. tional track-and-field meet, which will take place July Though O’Neill had met the time requirement, she OAKVILLE BEAVER 10-14 in Donetsk, Ukraine. did not officially earn an invite to the World Youth O’Neill will compete in the 800-metre race at the Championships until Aktiv teammate Megan Rempel IAAF competition, an oddity because she is better — who later posted a faster time in the 800m — chose known as a long-distance specialist. O’Neill was sec- to compete in the 1,500m instead. That opened up a ond in the senior girls’ five-kilometre run at last year’s spot in the 800m for O’Neill, since only two Canadi- Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference high school ans can compete in each event. championships and said she prefers cross-country be- “When she did pick the 1,500, I said ‘Thanks a lot’,” cause “it’s kind of boring racing around the track.” O’Neill recalled with a laugh. But after joining the Welland-based Aktiv Rac- O’Neill has no specific goals for the World Youth www.insideHALTON.com | www.insideHALTON.com ing Track Club earlier this year, O’Neill decided to Championships, which are expected to draw more train specifically for the 800m. She had been moder- than 1,500 athletes representing 165 countries. ately successful in the distance at high school meets, “I just hope to (get a personal best),” she said. “I qualifying for this past spring’s Ontario Federation of can’t really ask for much more after making it (this School Athletic Associations provincial meet, but had far).” never fully dedicated herself to the shorter sprint. — Jon Kuiperij Lacrosse coach Cordingley inks deal with Buffalo Bandits It didn’t take long for Troy Cordin- as player, twice as coach). Connor Latimer each scored twice gley to land on his feet. Sr. B Titans chase playoff spot versus St. Catharines. Matt Pelkey, The Oakville resident, recently The Oakville Titans still have Anthony Caputo, Mike Gillan and fired by the Toronto Rock shortly playoff aspirations as they conclude Kevin Harper added singles. after being named the National La- the Ontario Lacrosse Association Sr. A Rock drops pair crosse League’s coach of the year, is senior B season this weekend. The Oakville Rock dropped to the new bench boss of the Buffalo Going into a game last night 2-8-1 on the Major Series Lacrosse Bandits. (Wednesday) in Brooklin, Oakville season with a 9-6 loss in Kitchener Lacrosse briefs (3-10) trailed the Owen Sound Tuesday night. North Stars by two points for the Kyle Davis (two), Brendan league’s final playoff spot. The Ti- Muise, Graham Bergsma, Brenden “As both a former player and as- tans had three games remaining Thenhaus and Connor Daly scored sistant coach with the (Bandits), I and Owen Sound had two. The for Oakville in the loss. have orange and black blood run- North Stars own the tiebreaker. The Rock gave the league-lead- ning through my veins. Helping this The Titans, who lost 12-10 in St. ing Six Nations Chiefs a brief scare team get back to where it belongs is Catharines last Friday, are home to two nights earlier near Brantford, something that excites me, and I’m the Six Nations Rivermen tomor- leading 4-1 after one period before looking forward to that challenge. row (Friday, 8 p.m.) and the Brook- falling 8-5. Stephan Leblanc, Bryan Plain and simple, I’m coming here lin Merchants Sunday (7 p.m.). Campbell, AJ Masson, Thenhaus Bridget O’Neill, pictured competing in a high school track and field meet earlier this year, to win,” said Cordingley, a two- Both games will be played at Glen and Daly had Oakville’s tallies. will compete in the 800-metre run at next week’s IAAF World Youth Championships. time NLL coach of the year and Abbey Recreation Centre. The Rock visits Peterborough to- | Graham Paine —Oakville Beaver — @Halton_Photog four-time league champion (twice Sean Gillies, Brad Gillies and night (Thursday). Get Cool � Absolutely NO up-front costs! for � FREE installation and repairs You’re looking HOT! FREE! � AFFORDABLE low monthly rates � LOCAL Priority Service 24/7 � ENERGY EFFICIENT brands and models Call Sandpiper Today for your FREE in-home assessment Stay cool and comfortable all summer long with an AIR CONDITIONER from Sandpiper and make no payments until September 2013! 888-668-8117 sandpiperhomecomfort.ca A DIVISION OF OAKVILLE HYDRO ENERGY SERVICES INC..