Shelaine Pritchard sports her gold medal after going back-to-back in the U20 Women's Heptathlon at the 2023 National Track and Field Championships in Langley, BC. (Shelaine Pritchard/submitted)

By Logan Lehmann

Seeing double

P.A.’s Pritchard runs it back as National Champion in U20 Women’s Heptathlon

Aug 3, 2023 | 4:05 PM

Shelaine Pritchard is golden again.

The Prince Albert track star won her second straight gold medal at the National Track and Field Championships back in July in the U20 Women’s Heptathlon.

Pritchard said her second gold medal was even sweeter than her first.

“Winning the gold medal this year was super exciting,” she said. “Possibly even more special this year because I was able to hold the national title two years in a row.”

In order to win the heptathlon, competitors must place as high as they can in seven different athletic events including 100-meter hurdles, 200-meter dash, 800-meter run, long jump, high jump, shot put, and javelin throw.

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For Pritchard, she won the 100-meter hurdles, 200-meter dash, and long jump events while placing second in high jump and third in shot put. Although she didn’t finish on the podium in the other two events, she still placed top five in the javelin throw and in the top ten in the 800-meter run.

“Looking back at the events overall, it was pretty smooth sailing,” she explained. “I took the lead early and was able to maintain it all the way throughout. I was hoping to get some better results in a few events like the 200m, I was hoping for a personal best, and javelin which I struggled a bit with. But I had some really strong events like my hurdles and my long jump.”

As for how the track season went in general for Pritchard, she spent the year at the University of Regina where she explained it was nothing short of amazing.

“My first year in Regina went really well,” she said. “I qualified for USport Nationals in long jump which was super exciting in my rookie season.”

Here are Pritchard’s results from the National Track and Field Championships:

100m Hurdles – First (14.80s)

200m Dash – First (26.15s)

800m Run – Ninth (2:41.96s)

High Jump – Second (1.58m)

Javelin Throw – Fourth (27.66m)

Long Jump – First (5.52m)

Shot Put – Third (10.10m)

A final standing of the event can be found by clicking here.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @lloganlehmann