Ben Dimitrov represented Belmont secondary at the high school track and field provincial competition earlier this month, the only Belmont student to qualify.
Without the company of fellow team members, Dimitrov travelled to the competition at Swanguard Stadium in Burnaby, June 3 to 5, with his father and younger brother.
“It was intimidating (to be there by myself),” Dimitrov said, but with a little coaxing from his dad, his nerves died down and he was ready to compete.
Standing 6-foot-3 with a slim build, Dimitrov had no problem sailing through the air when he competed in the long jump and triple jump events.
In both events Dimitrov competed against the top 30 high school athletes from across the province.
In triple jump Dimitrov placed 10th after leaping 12.27 metres, and he was 19th place in the long jump with a distance of 5.99 m, a personal best.
The longest he’s travelled in triple jump is 13.38 m.
He qualified for the B.C. championships at the Vancouver Island track and field championship at the University of Victoria in May. A strong showing, Dimitrov placed second in the long jump and third in the triple jump.
The 16-year-old has been a track and field athlete since he was in Grade 5, and this was his first time competing in the provincials.
“It was exciting, and it was a really good experience,” Dimitrov said.
Other than practising jump techniques, Dimitrov also trains using drills techniques that work on his fast twitch muscles mostly in his calves, said his coach and Belmont teacher Tiffany Evans.
“It’s incredibly impressive to have a student represent the school at a provincial level,” Evans said.
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