Tyler Wilson flung his arms in the air, a look of triumph on his face as he crossed the finish line.
The winner of the men’s 1500 metre race-walk gutted out an eight second win over Vancouver’s Tyler Jeong in hot and windy conditions that tested athletic endurance.
“It was tough and everything below my knees is burning, but that’s why I’ve been out training every day ever since I found out I was going to the BC Summer Games,” the Surrey native said. “I never thought I’d make it to this point, and I was going to do everything I could to take advantage of the opportunity.”
It was a shallow field, with Wilson facing three others.
Wilson and Jeong were side by side heading into the final lap, with Daniel Solvien (Vancouver) fading to third and Yanick Contant (Port Alberni) well behind.
Wilson started to pull away heading into the final corner and didn’t look back.
“I knew he (Jeong) was fast because he’s been winning all of his meets, so my plan was just to stick with him and see if I could pass him at the end,” Wilson explained. “I’m just overjoyed right now. It’s amazing.”
Eric Welsh
Black Press