By Jeff D'Andrea

Lehner enjoys fruitful CIS debut track season

Jun 24, 2014 | 11:07 AM

Prince Albert’s Katelyn Lehner accomplished just about everything you could in the sport of track and field before reaching the postsecondary level. Last year, she represented Canada at the Pan-American Games, and won the Nike High School Grand Prix with St. Mary’s last year, along with a handsome pile of Saskatchewan high school medals and records.

This year was Lehner’s first in her CIS career with the University of Calgary Dinos, a fine one at that in the pentathlon — the five-discipline event including hurdles, 800-metre race, long jump, high jump and shot put.

After a third place finish in the Canada West track and field championship in February, she finished eighth in the nation at the CIS Nationals.

At the nationals with a score of 3,464, Lehner was just one measly back of University of Toronto’s Carolyn Adams for the freshman lead in points.

“I’m happy with my CanWest results, that was fun,” said Lehner, who graduated from St. Mary’s last year, and specializes in the seven-event heptathlon. “CIS were a little not as great, I think just different peaking times. I think for my first nationals, I’m happy with it.

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“Track’s been good this year. It’s been amazing being in Calgary and training with my new group of teammates and girls and having Les (Gramantik, former Olympic track head coach) as a coach. It’s been a really fun year.”

But despite the fun and the success, there have been a lot of changes for Lehner to adapt to, as much on the track and as off it.

“Being away from home for the first time has been hard,” said Lehner. “Living by yourself and having to get food for yourself and staying healthy—I think everything’s been a bit of a transition.”

On the track, Lehner has been working with Gramantik, who’s been coaching elite track athletes in various capacities for the last 30 years. He was formally the Olympic track and field coach for Team Canada and has coached many athletes, including current heptathlete Jessica Zelinski.

Under Gramantik, Lehner has had to almost relearn how to train and perform. “Training-wise, lots of events have been stripped down to the very basics, back to square one, and building back up again and looking at proper technique,” said Lehner. “That’s been a bit of a struggle, going back and fix everything while keeping the speed and power that I had coming into university and here. It’s been lots of transition, but it’s been good.”

Looking forward, Lehner hopes to compete at the World Junior Championships, but has not made the qualifying standard as of yet. Along with her coaches, Lehner will make the decision soon as to pursue to qualify for the World Juniors in Winnipeg, or go to several other meets this summer.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea