Gimli athlete earns provincial shot put title
Posted By Roger Newman
Posted 1 year ago
He is the provincial champion!
Mike Zelenitsky, of Gimli High School (GHS), won the Manitoba High School varsity shot put competition at the provincial track and field meet in early June at the University of Manitoba.
Zelenitsky, a Grade 12 student, hurled the five kilogram ball a distance of 14.54 metres, recording the best performance among the 21 high school shot putters in the final. That was half a metre better than runner-up Rilvey Mulvey, of Portage Collegiate Institute, who had a toss of 13.9 metres. Chris Stefera, of Dakota Collegiate, was third at 13.31 metres.
“I trained hard for this track season,” said Zelenitsky who was honoured for his victory at the GHS awards night last Wednesday. “I had a lot of help from my coach Brad Johnson, the physical education director at Gimli High.”
Zelenitsky is an old hand at representing his school at the annual provincials. He has been there the last four times, winning the junior varsity shot put title two years ago.
Zelenitsky — the son of Myles and Cheryl Zelenitsky of Winnipeg Beach — will soon graduate after a multi-sport career at Gimli High. He has been a standout for the school’s sports teams, ranging from basketball and volleyball to badminton, track and field, and cross country running.
His athletic exertions are far from over even though he is leaving the classroom. This summer he will compete in a Manitoba-Saskatchewan track meet and try to earn the eye of the national team at the Canada Games in Prince Edward Island.
“My career goal is to join the RCMP,” he said.
Zelenitsky also won the Joey Roueche Trophy which goes to the Grade 12 outstanding male athlete while Brittany Dankochik captured the Irene Miller trophy for being the top female athlete in Grade 12. Other recipients of outstanding athlete awards were: Nicola Baldwin, Greg Naylor, Grade 11; Brittany Minne, Desmond O”Dell, Grade 10; and Madison Biluk, Chad Sauerborn, Grade 9.
Zelenitsky, Bryson Wahl, Bev Bryce-Leger and David Poworski took home badminton awards from the supper and presentations at the Gimli Rec Centre. Poworski was also the star goalkeeper for the GHS soccer team which was revived this year. He won MVP honours while Greg Naylor was judged most improved player.
“Soccer was absent for years, but we almost won the zones, “ said teacher Carl Sauerborn who handed out the soccer awards.
Here are the winners of other school sports awards:
Basketball Most Valuable Players: Samantha Ward, junior varsity girls; Desmond O’Dell, junior varsity boys; Abreanna Torcia, Ashlee Seib, varsity girls; Mike Zelenitsky, varsity boys (Larry Arnason Memorial Trophy). Cross Country Provincial Athletes: Chad Sauerborn, Heida Arnbjornsson, Ali Cuthbert, Madison Biluk, Adam Kowalchuk, Brittney Dankochik, Carly Welham, Mike Zelenitsky, Dylon Petrowski, Michael Cameron, Jesse Holmes, Greg Naylor, Jaremy Chudd, Erik Tycholiz. Curling MVP: Tyler Devlin.
Volleyball: Gerry Varnes Memorial Trophy: Joel Kostiuk; Most Valuable Players: Kaly Devlin, junior varsity girls; Dylon Petrowski, junior varsity boys; Abreanna Torcia, varsity girls. Mike Zelenitsky, Keith Spulnick, varsity boys. Weight Club: Most Dedicated - Adam Kowalchuk; Phys.Ed. Leadership:Joel Goodman; Sports Camp Scholarships: Braden Spulnick (2), Fraser Olson, Chelsea Klassen, Desmond O’Dell, Christine Durocher, Kecia Voth, Saveja Ellison, Lyall Capuska, Chad Sauerborn, Madison Biluk.
Track and Field: Desmond O’Dell, Greg Naylor, Madison Biluk, Nicola Baldwin, Krystyn Dutkewich, Jesse Holmes, Saveja Elisson, Emma Wear, Heida Arnbjornsson, Mike Zelenitsky, Keith Spulnick, Dylon Petrowski. Chad Sauerborn, Braden Spulnick, Lyall Capuska, Trent Genyk. Kecia Voth and Michael Cameron.
