Personal Best for Ball: Sports Briefs
Sports
Updated 1 month ago
PERSONAL BEST FOR BALL
(STAFF) -- One-legged runner Rick Ball has established yet another personal best, this time on the track at the Canadian track and field championships in Toronto.
Ball was invited by Athletics Canada to compete with this country's top able-bodied runners in the men's 10,000-metre race at Varsity Stadium on Wednesday night. He covered the distance in 37:53.51-- two seconds faster than his previous mark set on the track in Ottawa earlier this year, and 27 seconds off his time in the same event one year ago.
"It was a really tough race and I had to grind out the last part to reach my goal," said Ball, who finished first in his class. "The reward for that hard work was to receive a gold medal from legendary Canadian distance runner Bruce Kidd -- a real bonus."
Coincidentally, the race was run on what would have been the 52nd birthday of Terry Fox, from whom Ball derives his inspiration to compete.
Ball currently holds the fastest time in the world for single-leg amputees for the 10-kilometre race, the half-marathon, and the marathon. The Orillia runner's next major event on his trek toward the 2012 Paralympic Games is the Army Run in Ottawa in September.
The men's 10,000-metre race was won by Simon Bairu, in a time of 28:49.25 from a field of eight competitors.
NDBL PLAYOFFS ALL SET
(STAFF) -- With the North Dufferin Baseball League's regular season in the books, playoffs begin this Tuesday.
Eight of 13 senior teams made the post-season, which sees the East division leaders Bolton 'A' (18-3-0) facing fourth-place Orillia (9-12-0). Their first game will be played in Bolton on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.
Barrie (12-8-1), who finished second in the East, is paired with third-place Aurora (10-11-0). The first game of the series is scheduled for Thursday in Barrie with an 8 p.m. start time.
Over in the West division, New Lowell (15-2-3), who placed first, will play rival Ivy (9-9-3) who finished fourth. Their series will start Wednesday in New Lowell. Game time is 6:15 p.m.
The last match-up has the West's second-place team, Creemore (15-4-2), meeting third-place Lisle (11-7-3). Creemore will host the first game on Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 6:15 p.m.
A full playoff schedule for each series has been posted on the league's website, www.ndbl.ca.
The league's Junior division teams, Orangeville (8-10-1), Bolton (6-13-0), and Midland (5- 13-1) will play off in a double elimination tournament Aug. 7-8 to decide a champion. Tournament details will be posted on the league website when finalized.
GOLF CAMP SWINGS IN
(STAFF) -- Snow Valley Adventures Day Camp is offering a golf camp at Tangle Creek Golf Club from Aug. 9 to Aug. 13.
The golf camp will be run by Barrie-based golf instructor Murray St. Onge, coach of top-ranked Canada amateur Stephanie Sherlock, a Barrie native.
For more information, or to register, call Trudy at 721-7669, ext. 2.
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