Hurdler Bains smashes 27-year-old B.C. record #kamloops2013

Cowichan News Leader - Cowichan's Chicago Bains has done it again.

During provincials action, the local track sensation smashed a 1986 provincial 80-metre hurdle record of 11.50 seconds with a personal best of 11.42.

"I cannot express in words the magnitude of this sprint race record she has just established, it leaves me speechless," said coach John May in an email on the provincial meet in Kamloops July 19-21.

Cowichan product Taryn Smiley also knocked socks off, winning both the 100 and 200 metres races.

"For the 15 year old midget-aged athletes and the 16/17 year old youth athletes, it's a trial meet to get on the BC Teams that will attend the Legion Youth National Track and Field meet in August this year in Langley BC," explained May on the weekend event that saw participants drenched in extremely hot weather.

"For Taryn, 16, and Chicago, 15, it meant doing fewer events at this meet. For me as their coach, this is very important, trying to peak at the right time and developing a sense of what it takes to do so is something they will utilize far into the future in this sport especially."

Bains' record breaking victory also has a cool story behind it, the coach said.

"On arrival at the meet I was given her competition bib number and it was 1142," he said. "Looking at the bib number I think, 'Wow, wouldn't that be something if she ran 1142.' When I gave it to her Saturday morning to put on she looked at it and smiled at me."

May said he was shocked and speechless when the final time, 11.42, was posted.

"Anyone who knows the hurdles events was stunned by this accomplishment. It is absolutely amazing."

Bains amazed folks again Sunday with her 200m hurdles race, taking top spot with another provincial record finish of 27.60, just shy of her 27.53 personal best she attained two weeks ago.

"This amazing young woman will now continue to prepare for the (nationals) where she will again set her focus on being the best she can be on the days she competes."

May has coached Smiley for one season under her second claim club, the Comox Valley Cougars.

"She teamed up to run the 4x100 relay with Calli Ann Abbott (15), Chloe Gummer (15), Kyla May (16) and  they were the fastest women's team to run this weekend," May said. "It had viewers stunned as these four girls had never relayed together before and used their knowledge of relay to quickly establish the exchange parameters and executed a relay of almost 'demonstration like precision' with Taryn running an anchor leg for the win by 10s of metres."

In the 100m race, Smiley won both her heat and the final with a personal best of 12.23, "narrowly missing the difficult 100m BC Team Youth standard of 12.20."

"On Sunday in the 200m she again won her heat in convincing fashion and in the final, ran the most stunning race I have yet seen her run and with the team standard set at 25.45, Taryn exceeded that standard by running 25.39 in the final.

"This certainly gives her a good shot at being on the BC Team as well," said May, noting the team will announce its lineup in the next few days.

"As their coach, I am as I said both honoured and humbled. These are two very amazing young ladies that seem to be on a mission that takes them down a path that requires sacrifices and hard work all too often not seen in many youth today."

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