Though a few others came close, it was only the talented trio of Nehemiah Esmie, Yuvraj Singh and Tejada Gieselman that would emerge from the Rainbow District School Board Champions Meet as new record holders - with Jack Barrette certainly worthy of an honourable mention.
While Barrette's time of 26.93 bettered the previous record of 27.06 in the grade 7 boys 200m dash, established in 2024 by Angus Rayburn, the Valley View Public School speedster would have to settle for second place in his race, about a half second back of Esmie's clocking of 26.42.
A newcomer to Sudbury in 2025, Singh actually set new standards in a pair of events in his final year at Lasalle Intermediate School, lowering the marks slightly in both the grade 8 boys 400m dash (55.42) as well as the 800m distance (2:10.88).
A grade 7 student at Lo-Ellen Intermediate, Tejada Gieselman would enter the records books via the 800m race as well, shaving about a second and a half off the record held by swimmer James Bertrim, with the former crossing the finish line in 2:27.43.
A very talented basketball player in his own right and member of the GSBA (Greater Sudbury Basketball Association) Storm, Gieselman tends to flow from one sport to the next - at least for now.
"It kind of goes by season," he explained. "When the basketball season is over, I really like to focus on track and field. In the fall, it's definitely cross-country."
Leaning towards the hardcourt as his sport of choice, Gieselman still enjoys an affinity for running distances that many in his age bracket might try and avoid. "I'm not a fast guy, in general - but I find it easier to train for the longer races just because it is more training (logging the miles) than anything else," he said.
Gieselman also finished first in the 1500m, his time of 4:56.06 comfortably ahead of Thomas Gemmell Valley View - 5:13.19) in a race that he had planned out pretty well.
"I was aiming for 76 (second) 400s in order to go sub five (minutes)," he stated. "I guy passed me after the first lap but I knew that I was going to pass him; he was going out way too fast."
Yet another multi-sport talent, Blake Lyle of Lasalle swept the 200m (29.36), 400m (1:07.61) and the 800m (2:38.06) for the grade 7 girls, with the latter providing the best fit of all according to the competitive soccer talent and figure skater with the Nickel Blades Skating Club.
"I like the middle distances," said Lyle, set to celebrate her 13th birthday this Monday. "It's not so long that it kills you - and I like that you can get more distance between people."
"In the 100m, everyone is so close together. With the longer distances, you can kind of get some gaps in."
Lyle would post a nine second win in the 800m over Lauren Westby of Northeastern, a comfortable enough margin as she rounded the track for a second time. "I was kind of checking over my shoulder, a little bit, but I didn't worry too much," she said.
"I couldn't hear anyone behind me. On the last part on my own, I just thought: the finish line is right there - don't look back."
Following is a complete list of event winners from the meet:
Grade 8 - Girls100m dash - Ella Gagnon (Lo-Ellen) - 13.58
200m dash - Ella Gagnon (Lo-Ellen) - 28.43
400m - Davie Dale (Lo-Ellen) - 1:07.79
800m - Davie Dale (Lo-Ellen) - 2:48.50
1500m - Emilia Breckon (Lo-Ellen) - 5:45.97
Long Jump - Julia Fotigo (Lasalle) - 4.10m
Shot Put - Reese Morris (Chargers) - 9.40m
High Jump - Maddie Field (Lively) - 1.36m
Triple Jump - Anna Corsi (Lo-Ellen) - 9.06m
Grade 8 - Boys
100m dash - Ezekiel Ngeleka (Lo-Ellen) - 12.47
200m dash - Chidube Elendu (Lo-Ellen) - 25.11
400m - Yuvraj Singh (Lasalle) - 55.42
800m - Yuvraj Singh (Lasalle) - 2:10.88
1500m - Yuvraj Singh (Lasalle) - 4:52.44
Long Jump - Ezekiel Ngeleka (Lo-Ellen) - 5.32m
Shot Put - Ryan Arthur (Copper Cliff) - 10.86m
High Jump - Jones Paajanen (Lively) - 1.48m
Triple Jump - Owen Cunningham (Lively) - 11.07m
Grade 7 - Girls
100m dash - Olive Simon (Lo-Ellen) - 13.46
200m dash - Blake Lyle (Lasalle) - 29.36
400m - Blake Lyle (Lasalle) - 1:07.61
800m - Blake Lyle (Lasalle) - 2:38.06
1500m - Jane Hanley (Lo-Ellen) - 5:47.12
Long Jump - Cali Switzer (Northeastern) - 4.36m
Shot Put - Samantha Lefebvre (Lasalle) - 7.69m
High Jump - Mia Lachapelle (Lasalle) - 1.34m
Triple Jump - Brenna Pollard (Little Current) - 9.47m
Grade 7 - Boys
100m dash - Nehemiah Esmie (Lasalle) - 12.88
200m dash - Nehemiah Esmie (Lasalle) - 26.42
400m - Brody Larochelle (Lively) - 1:08.27
800m - Tejada Gieselman (Lo-Ellen) - 2:27.43
1500m - Tejada Gieselman (Lo-Ellen) - 4:56.06
Long Jump - Joey Guignard (Valley View) - 4.35m
Shot Put - Grayson Smith (Algonquin) - 10.21m
High Jump - Nehemiah Esmie (Lasalle) - 1.46m
Triple Jump - Jay-Qi Lau (MacLeod) - 9.13m
Grade 5/6 - Girls
80m dash - Marguerite Gieselman (Helene Gravel) - 11.36
100m dash - Marguerite Gieselman (Helene Gravel) - 13.96
200m dash - Gracie Currie (Walden) - 29.81
High Jump - Jill Secord (Little Current) - 1.25m
Long Jump - Marguerite Gieselman (Helene Gravel) - 4.04m
Shot Put - Isla Leclaire (R.L. Beattie) - 7.75m
Triple Jump - Cassie Maeck (Franco Nord) - 8.73m
Grade 5/6 - Boys
80m dash - Emmanuel Amoye (Redwood Acres) - 11.16
100m dash - Axel Sorro (Helene Gravel) - 13.37
200m dash -Axel Sorro (Helene Gravel) - 28.09
High Jump - Jack Brandow (R.L. Beattie) - 1.36m
Long Jump - Luke Hunter (Eagles) - 4.05m
Shot Put - Biiwaabbki Contin (MacLeod)- 10.21m
Triple Jump - Max Gervais (Helene Gravel) - 8.29m
Grade 3/4 - Girls
80m dash - Quinn Baker (Larchwood) - 12.78
Long Jump - Gabrielle Hodgins (R.L. Beattie) - 3.28m
Standing Long Jump - Lyla Luoma (Pavillon) - 1.81m
High Jump - Brooklyn Kennedy (Northeastern) - 1.06m
Softball Throw - Eila Manitowabi (S. Geiger) - 25.91m
Grade 3/4 - Boys
60m dash - Gavin Ball (MacLeod) - 9.31
80m dash - Wyatt Desjardins (Walden) - 11.99
Long Jump - Wyatt Desjardins (Walden) - 3.70m
Standing Long Jump - Alex Lamseto (R.L. Beattie) - 1.91m
High Jump - Finnegan Mitchell (Walden) - 1.21m
Softball Throw - C. Gregory-Nelson (Walden) - 34.48m
