Salmon Arm's Vienne Bredick is on a high after being one of 15 athletes aged 16 and under chosen to represent B.C. at the upcoming Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships.
The 15-year-old J.L. Jackson Secondary student earned the honour to compete in the Aug. 9-11 event for U16 and U18 athletes with a personal best in high jump, 167 centimetres (5.5 feet) at the U16-SR 2024 BC Athletics Provincial Track & Field Jamboree, held July 12 to 14 in Nanaimo.
"I was very happy and I placed second at Jamboree to qualify for Team B.C.," said Vienne, explaining that to be considered for the team she had to at least meet the standard of 161 cm (5.3 ft).
Days after completing her nationals-qualifying high jump, Vienne was in Maple Ridge for the BC Summer Games (July 17-21) where she won a silver medal for coming in second place in the girls high jump. She also came in fifth for girls long jump.
"I had the Jamboree in Nanaimo, so I had to drive all the way back to Salmon Arm from that and then leave the next day for BC Summer Games in Maple Ridge, so I was pretty tired," said Vienne. "I only jumped 160 cm but I placed second overall so I was pretty happy with that."
Vienne first set foot in track and field in Grade 4 at Bastion Elementary. Vienne said one of the teachers there, Ms. Smith, would help her with her long jump over lunch hours.
"I really enjoyed it and then, when we went to the meets, I discovered I was actually pretty good at it and I like to be good at stuff, so I was kind of like, oh, I should do this," said Vienne, who also takes part in other sports including mountain biking and swimming.
Over the 2023-24 school year, because she was in Grade 8 Vienne was able to participate in high school meets (for students Grade 8-12). Consistent successes, including a jump of 153 cm at Valleys, earned Vienne a spot at provincials where she became nervous competing in the company of many skilled athletes.
"I was really nervous because I’d never been to meet where there was such good jumpers…," said Vienne, who still managed to medal in third place in her cross-country running shoes (as opposed to track spikes). "I was struck when I saw all these people in their spikes and their speedy outfits and stuff like that."
"I just knew that I had more potential, and I knew I needed more training so I could handle those bigger meets," said Vienne who, in Grade 9, reached out to Vernon Triple A Track and Field coach Ian Cameron.
"We did a session together – it was so fun. There’s just something about high jump, just flying through the air … the whole world kind of goes quiet when you’re in the air and it’s beautiful," said Vienne, who trains three times a week in Vernon while still swimming in Salmon Arm.
Despite this being Vienne's first year of training with the club, Cameron called her a "standout," and said he wouldn't be surprised if she medals at the national event.
"It’s the toughest team in B.C. to make for track and field, honestly," said Cameron of Vienne being selected for the U16 B.C. team. "The U16 team, they’re only allowed to take 40 members on the BC Team, but only 15 of them can be U16. The other 25 are U18. So she was one of 15 chosen throughout the province and when you think about it, that’s males and females combined and all events combined."
Equally, if not more proud was Vienne's mother Luvena, who has been driving Vienne to the various meets.
"Shes’ always been pretty athletic and has always done quite well," said Luvena, noting Vienne was Athlete of the Year at Jackson this year. "I think the success here has been really fast considering she really just started training in April for this. So yeah, it's pretty exciting. She's excited. She's really enjoying track and she's hoping continue on and maybe go down to a university team in a few years when she graduates."
Vienne is grateful for all the support she's received from her mother, and from Cameron, whose guidance has been helped build her confidence for bigger competitions.
"I feel like actually having someone to coach me and really support me helped with my confidence in the sport," said Vienne.
