Adam Prudhomme
Beaver Staff
Carter Free put a nice silver bow on an outstanding track and field season this weekend at OFSAA as the NDSS Golden Hawk long distance runner placed second and 10th in the 1500 and 3000 metre races respectively.
Competing against the top high school runners from across the province at Toronto’s York University, the Napanee native entered the competition as the top ranked in Ontario. He finished the 1500 metre qualifiers with the top time of 3:55.50.
He topped that in the finals, running a time of 3:50.93, just behind the gold medalist Marcus Kemp from Kitchener’s St. Mary’s who finished at 3:50.71.
“My 1500 (metre) for the qualifying round, I was very pleased,” said Free. “My goal coming out was just to qualify for the finals. When I did that my goal was just to get a medal at OFSAA. Midway through the 1500 I was feeling good and I just went for it for the last 800 metres. I just ran as quick as I could and gave it everything I could on that last lap.”
That effort rewarded with a silver medal, though it did take its toll.
“For the 3K I felt it because I had run the 1500 metre the night before,” said Free. “Going into the 3K I was exhausted for the day.”
He stilled managed a top 10 finish with a time of 8:39.60.
The weekend’s run ended an eventful athletic school year for Free, who also won gold at the KASAA level for cross country, earned second at EOSSAA and then placed eight at OFSAA.
He’ll now turn his attention to a busy summer with the Quinte-Frontenac Track Club before returning to NDSS in the fall for some unfinished business.
“I’d like to get a cross country title to my name,” said Free. “I think I’m going to come back and try to win gold for cross country.”
In the more immediate future he’s going to attempt to shave a couple seconds off his personal best in the 1500 metre.
“I’m going to try to hit the world standard for the 1500 metre,” said Free. “I currently ran a 3:50 and the world standard is 3:48. I’m definitely going to be going for the world standard next track season and hopefully I make it.”