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Hammer girl athlete of the year

B.C. Athletics honours Parkside secondary school teen thrower
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Courtenay Neville-Rutherford

A year of personal bests, national competition and dreams of an Olympic future set a Peninsula athlete up for best in the province.

Sidney’s Courtenay Neville-Rutherford was named the B.C. Athletics Association’s top female athlete in her age group.

She learned first that she was a contender in the category.

“A week later I got a letter saying I was a recipient,” she said.

The Parkland student attributes the award to her success in the hammer throw, including a gold medal at provincials and a spot on the B.C. track and field team for the Legion Canadian Youth Championships in Ottawa.

She works with Pacific Athletics under coach Sheldon Gmitroski in Victoria.

“Athlete of the year is a big deal to me,” she said. “B.C. Athletics is the whole province and I’m only a midget.”

Neville-Rutherford turns 16 on Jan. 7 and will move up an age category to junior when the season starts in March.

The award, she figures, will push her harder in training.

“I want to try and get to Legions again this year.”

sports@peninsulanewsreview.com