Perhaps the best way to celebrate an impressive performance at the Athletics Ontario U18 Open Indoor Championships might well be a trip to Jamaica.

That said, with coach Robert Esmie at the helm of the Air Blastoff Lions contingent that competed in both venues, it was far less about "celebrating" and far more about continuing the early season development for his crew of young athletes.

Five locals represented Sudbury hopes at the Toronto Track & Field Centre on February 8th and 9th, with sprinter Melina Doiron earning a pair of fourth place ribbons.

The Lo-Ellen Park senior clocked a time of 26.05 seconds in the 200m dash, less than half a second back of Rayna Banks (University of Toronto Track Club) after advancing to the finals the previous day in the 60m dash.

Locked-in with a top-end grouping that featured Rayna Banks (7.77), Victoria Zolaturiuk (7.84), Nwanyabuife George-Uzonwanne (7.84), Dorion sprinted to a clocking of 7.86 seconds, fourth fastest among the 32 athletes entered in the event.

Nadia MacDonald also took a crack at the track, finishing well above the halfway mark in both the 60m (8.28 heats / 8.36 final) and the 200m (27.15 - PB), while shining brightest in her signature event, the long jump (4.77 metres - 10th of 32).

Amanda Syncox also mixed things up, looking very much at ease in the 400m race (1:01.97 - 9th of 55) and also taking part in the shorter sprint (8.55 seconds - 60m dash).

Still eligible to compete in the U16 division, Annabelle Richardson tested herself against the older crowd, not looking the least bit out of place in either the 200m (26.54 - 11th of 76) or the 60m (8.12 - heats; 8.10 - finals - 13th).

Finally, Jaya MacDonald established a new personal best time in the 200m (28.77), rounding out her two-day meet with the 60m (8.59) and the long jump (4.66 metres - 7th in Open Women).

From there, it was off to the Esmie homeland of Jamaica as three club members took part in the S.W. Isaac-Henry Track and Field Invitational in Kingston (Jamaica).

The group would not return home empty handed as Melina Doiron earned a silver medal at the 200m distance, in fine form at 25.63 and trailing only Natrece East (WolmersHigh School) who set a new meet record with her time of 24.71 seconds.

Mackenzie Roy was kept busy, running the Girls 13-14 200m (29.19) and 400m (1:05.10), with Amanda Syncox doing likewise in the Girls 15-16 200m (27.30) and 400m (1:00.82 - 6th in a field of 44).