Foott is the ‘Tony Hawk’ of track

THAMES VALLEY CENTRAL TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

By STEVE GREEN, THE LONDON FREE PRESS

Last Updated: May 13, 2011 9:50pm

Like most skateboarders, Ryan Foott is a guy who marches to a slightly different drummer.

He's also proof appearances can be deceiving, because underneath a laid-back demeanour lies an athlete's heart and strength.

Foott, 16 and in Grade 10 at Montcalm, showed both in abundance Friday at Day 2 of the TVRAA Central track and field championships, as he powered past Liam Wilson of Banting to win the junior boys' 800 metres in a record 2:05.49. In doing so, he avenged a nearly 10-second loss to Wilson in the midget 800 last year.

"I just tried to keep up to the first pack and give everything I had at the end," said Foott, who ran negative splits (each lap faster than the previous one) in the 800 as well as his second-place finish in the 1,500 Thursday. "I didn't think I had any gas left because I was still tired from the 1,500. I certainly didn't expect to get first today, but I guess I had it in me."