Michael Nishiyama
Track and field
At last weekend’s McGill Last Chance Challenge in Montreal, Queen’s track and field team picked up ten medals. Their top performer was second-year athlete Michael Nishiyama, who won gold in the 600 metres, setting a personal best time of 1:22.85. He earned a second gold in the 4×800 metre relay.
Nishiyama said performing so well in the last race before the upcoming OUA championship is reassuring.
“It’s really important because it lets me and the team know that it’s all coming together,” he said. “I know I’m at my best fitness level and am at peak performance. I’ll be ready for the best this weekend.”
Nishiyama said he got into track and field at a young age and was influenced heavily by his older brothers.
“I got into track about 10 years ago, in elementary school,” he said. “I had two older brothers involved in track so I stuck to the path, started training and really enjoying so I stuck with it.”
Nishiyama said his decision to come to Queen’s was a mix of his brothers’ influence, the strength of the civil engineering program and the reputation of the track program.
“My two older brothers came to Queen’s as well,” he said. “I looked at other schools, but chose Queen’s based on academics and the track program.”
Nishiyama is no stranger to big race performances. Although he’s only in his second year, he has already competed in both provincial and national races at the university level and was part of the 4×400 metre team that set a Queen’s record at last year’s national championship meet.
“Last year was more of a learning year, starting to get into higher competition for university,” he said. “I had fun last year. It was a good year and I accomplished a lot for my first year.”
Instead of dwelling on the past, Nishiyama is looking ahead to what the team can achieve this year.
“This year’s also been fun,” he said. “We’ll be looking to bring home medals in the 4×400 and 4×800. I’ve improved this year which is good because it lets me know I’m improving as the years go by.”
He said competing on the national level at the Canadian interuniversity championships is a thrilling experience, but the OUA competition is where the team will be expecting to pick up medals.
“For the majority of the team the OUAs are the main goal,” he said. “Qualifying for [national championsips] is very difficult. OUA is for bringing home medals. CIs is for showing what our team’s got.”
Nishiyama said he’s excited to compete at the OUA championships this weekend.
“I’m feeling pretty confident about this weekend. I’m ready to race.”
—Amrit Ahluwalia
Martha Carruthers
Figure skating
Martha Carruthers earned three medals for the figure skating team at the OUA championships last week, propelling the Gaels to a second-place finish with a team total of 87 points. Carruthers won gold in the Pair Four category, silver in the individual Gold Ladies category and ended her streak with a bronze medal in Senior Similar Pairs.
Of the medals she received at the championships, Carruthers said she was most proud of the gold and bronze that she earned in the group events.
“I’m really glad that the Pair Four and Pair events went well because we all worked so hard,” she said.
Carruthers, who normally competes in individual categories, said learning the team aspect of figure skating has been an excellent experience.
“It’s nice to have someone else on the ice to skate with,” she said. “To have the support of your teammates on the ice makes competing a lot less stressful.”
She said the team’s togetherness was a key factor in her own success.
“The team really comes together at competitions,” she said. “I am so grateful for the support of my team members. My results are a reflection of good team bonding.”
Carruthers is in her first year with the team. She said head coach Rhonda McKnight, who was recently named the OUA coach of the year, played an important role in facilitating her adjustment to university and varsity sport.
“Especially since I’m in first year, she has really helped me balance everything,” Carruthers said. “She always makes sure that everything is okay, and gives me days off when I need them. She definitely deserves the award.”
Carruthers has been figure skating for most of her life. She said the encouragement of her coaches throughout her figure skating career has been essential to her continued success.
“I’ve been competing since I was seven years old, and I’ve had excellent coaches throughout,” she said. “Figure skating is an amazing test of both mental and physical strength, and my coaches have always been so supportive.”
Although she enjoys the tough athleticism, Carruthers said it was the gracefulness of the sport that first attracted her to figure skating.
“Figure skating is a beautiful sport,” she said. “It seemed so neat to be able to jump in the air.”
Carruthers said she’s looking forward to the next season of figure skating, and hopes to be a leader to the next set of newcomers.
“It’s been so great to have a support system on and off the ice,” she said, “Especially next year, I’d like to try to be someone that the rookies can come to for help.”
Along with being a good role model, Carruthers has set other goals for herself as a varsity figure skater.
“Keep improving, keep working hard and keep a positive attitude.” —Renée Kennedy
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