'(Posted 8:30 p.m., June 10)
Multi-talented Nsabua wins gold medal at OFSAA track and field championships
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Louis Riel's David Nsabua set a new national under-17 youth record in the senior boys triple jump at the OFSAA track and field championships on June 3. Fred Sherwin/Photo

East end athletes picked up a total of four medals at the OFSAA track and field championships held in London last week, including a gold medal won by Louis Riel's David Nsabua in the senior boys triple jump.

A multi-talented athlete Nsabua literally came out of nowhere to win the gold medal competing in his first year as a senior. Last year, he failed to qualify for OFSAA in either the triple jump or the long jump at the junior level and ended up placing eighth in the high jump after winning the East Region championship in the event.

After last year's disappointing results, Nsabua decided to focus on jumping and trained with the sole purpose of returning to the provincial championships intent on winning a medal.

During the winter indoor season, the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club member demonstrated steady imrpovement and y the time the high school season started he was ready to raise some eyebrows. At the East Conference championships in May he set three meet records in the long jump, triple jump and high jump.

A week later he doubled up in the long jump and triple jump at the NCSSAA championships after deciding not to compete in the high jump because of his size. At 6-foot-2 and 200 lbs, Nsabua possesses a big frame which is problematic when trying to jump vertically, even if you're a highly skilled basketball player and the top-rated under-17 defensive back in the country.

Nasbua continued his winning ways at the East Regional championships in Belleville, setting himself up nicely for OFSAA. Heading into the provincial championships, he was seeded third in the triple jump and seventh in the long jump.

In both events, the competitors get to jump five times with the top eight athletes moving on to a second round round consisting of three more jumps. The triple jump was the first of the two events on the schedule in London.

Prior to the event, Nsabua felt comfrotable and relaxed, but that didn't prevent him from fouling on his first attempt. On his second attempt he jumped 13.98 metres which was good enough for fourth place.

Knowing that he was already assured of making it to the final round, Nsabua decided to go all out on his third attempt and soared 14.86 metres. Not only was it the farthest that he had ever jumped in his life, but it was also a new national under-17 youth record obliterating the old mark set in 2002 by 29 centimetres.

"It felt amazing. The energy in the place was incredible. Everyone was clapping and I just screamed let's go before I took off. It was just really fun" says Nsabua.

Unfortunately in setting a new national youth record, the gifted 16-year-old injured his right heel in the process which hampered his ability to compete in the long jump the next day. But even with a bad wheel he still managed improve on his seeding by two positions and finished in fourth place, one centimetre behind the bronze medalist.

With the high school track and field season now out of the way, Nsabua is focusing on the National Youth Track and Field Championships which are being held in Ottawa in July.

His goal is to improve on his triple jump record and track down the long jump standard currently held by Ottawa Lions teammate Seyi Smith who jumped 7.32 metres in 2004.

Still only 16, Nsabua is hoping to compete at the 2012 World Junior Championships which will be held in Barcelona, Spain, but first he must get his Canadian citizenship which should happen some time this year.

"That's my main focus in the next two years. I'm going to commit myself 100 per cent and make the sacrifices," says Nsabua.

But Nsabua wasn't the only Louis Riel athlete to win a medal in London. Teammate Joel McDonald won a bronze medal in the midget boys 400-metres after failing to qualify for the final in the 200-metres.

Two other east end athletes also picked up medals, both hailing from Lester B. Pearson. Sylvain Mbuyama won silver in the midget boys long jump and Bailey Arnott won a silver medal in the senior girls pole vault.

Other notable performances were turned in by Lindsay Kary from St. Matthew High School who finished 6th in the junior girls 1500 metres; Jamie Loh from Cairine Wilson placed eighth in the junior girls 300-metre hurdles; Sebastien Saville from Colonel By placed sixth in the junior boys 800-metre final after turning in the fastest qualifying time with a sub-two minute performance; Amanda McKinnon from Louis Riel finished fifth in the junior girls 400 metres; and Devin Biocchi from Canterbury placed fouth in the senior boys 400 metres, lowering his personal best time by nearly half a second in the process. His time of 48.33 is just four-tenths of a second off the qualifying standard for the World Junior Championships which are being held in Moncton in late July.

The complete list of east end athletes who competed at the OFSAA East Regional track and field championships and their results is as follows..

Midget Boys
200-metre 15th (24.12) Joel MacDonald, Louis Riel
200-metre 16th (24.16) Teddy Dumont, Beatrice-Desloges
400-metre 3rd (51.86) Joel MacDonald, Louis Riel
400-metre 16th (54.60) Teddy Dumont, Beatrice-Desloges
300-metre hurdles 9th (42.89) Marc Bitar, Colonel By
300-metre-hurdles 10th (42.93) Trevor Melcher, Colonel By
300-metre hurdles 14th (43.52) Morgan Lewis, Louis Riel
Long Jump 2nd (6.28m) Sylvain Mbuyamba, Lester B. Pearson
Triple Jump 5th (12.27m) Al Itani, Colonel By

Midget Girls
400-metres 22nd (1.04:27) Asha Mohhidinin, Louis Riel
800-metres 12th (2:23.32) Lindsay Kary, St. Matthew
1500-metres 6th (4:51.54) Lindsay Kary, St. Matthew
300-metre hurdles 8th (49.86) Jaimie Loh, Cairine Wilson

Junior Boys
100-metres 17th (11.79) David Mputu, Colonel By
100-metres 19th (12.03) Tim Aribido, Colonel By
200-metres 18th (24.12) Tim Aribido, Colonel By
400-metres 12th (52.51) David Mputu, Colonel By
800-metres 5th (2.01.27) Sebastien Saville, Colonel By
800-metres 18th (2.08.00) Nick Kazaka, Colonel By
300-metre hurdles 23rd (44.24) David Raji, Colonel By
Long Jump 12th (5.82m) Kevin Nault, Cairine Wilson
Javelin 10th (45.27m) Thomas Schlossmacher, Colonel By

Junior Girls
400-metres 5th (58.96) Amanda McKinnon, Louis Riel
300-metre hurdles 9th (46.50) Amanda McKinnon, Louis Riel

Senior Boys
200-metres 12th (22.31) Devin Biocchi, Canterbury
200-metres 18th (22.71) Tolu Makinde, Colonel By
400-metres 4th (48.33) Devin Biocchi, Canterbury
400-metres 17th (50.67) Isaiah Moses, Gloucester
400-metre hurdles 10th (58.03) Isaiah Moses, Gloucester
Long Jump 4th (7.00) David Nsabua, Louis Riel
Long Jump 14th (6.40m) Brian Okeny, Lester B. Pearson
Triple Jump 1st (14.86) David Nsabua, Louis Riel

Senior Girls
800-metres 18th (2.21.59) Kathryn Tuck, Colonel By
Pole Vault 2nd (3.15m) Bailey Arnott, Lester B. Pearson

'(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

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