Big brother watching can be a good thing

By STEVE GREEN, THE LONDON FREE PRESS

Last Updated: May 13, 2011 9:16am

Watching her run, it's hard to believe Lexi Gillooly had doubts about turning out for high school track and field. Good thing her big brother didn't.

All the 14-year-old Grade 9 student at Catholic Central did Thursday was win two golds and add a third place finish on Day 1 of the TVRAA Central Conference championships at TD Waterhouse Stadium. She won the midget girls' 100 metres in 13.32 seconds, ran the second leg in the Crusaders' winning 4x100 relay team and was third in the 400 (1:04.23) despite running that event for only the second time.

"In Grade 7 I won the 100 and was second in Grade 8 (at the London District Catholic board meet), so I've always been quick, but coming into Grade 9 was intimidating at first. We've got a lot of good athletes," she said. "I didn't expect this at all. I knew I was going to do all right, but I never imagined winning something as big as TVRAA. This is a big achievement and I hope to get better."