Danso-Dapaah ran to victory in the senior girls’ 800-metre race as the two-day championships concluded at Centennial Park in Etobicoke. One day earlier, she captured gold in the 1,500m and took home silver in the 400m.
“This was definitely the best way to end off my high school career,” said the 17-year-old, who received a full scholarship to Florida State University. “I wanted to try for the record and was on pace until about the 700-metre mark, but then the wind picked up and I slowed down a bit.”
Danso-Dapaah said she’s optimistic about making the top four at the upcoming Ontario finals.
“The competition is a lot tougher,” said Danso-Dapaah, who hopes to compete for Canada at the 2012 Olympic Games in England. “But my mindset will pretty much be the same; go out there with total focus and try my best.”
On several scouts' radars since she was in Grade 9, Danso-Dapaah said her coach, Danny Webster, has helped her a great deal.
“One thing I’ve learned is not to let yourself get down, not even if you had a bad race,” she said. “To be a runner, you have to be both strong mentally and physically to handle the pressure and other competitors, and I believe that’s something I possess.”
Webster, Gonzaga’s track coach, said Danso-Dapaah is one of the best athletes he has ever coached.
“She’s always been a phenomenal athlete,” he said. “But now that her mental game is finally here, I can see her turning into a world-class athlete.”
Danso-Dapaah also guided her team to silver in the 4x400 open girls relay.
However, she wasn't the biggest winner at the meet.
St. Marcellinus Secondary School's Melissa Hewitt won four gold medals, in the senior girls’ 100m, 200m, 4x100 relay and long jump.
“It feels amazing; I never really expected four gold medals,” said Hewitt, 17, a member of the Mississauga Track and Field Club. “I wasn’t confident today (Wednesday), but when I got to the line, I told myself I had to do it. I had to represent my school and club.”
Cassandra Pascal, also of St. Marcellinus, grabbed four gold medals of her own, in the midget girls’ 100m, 200m, 4x100 relay and high jump.
On the field, John Cabot’s Victor Kopylets set a new ROPSSAA record with a mark of 6.16 metres in the junior boys’ long jump, shattering the old record of 6.01.
He also won gold in the high jump and triple jump.
St. Marcellinus carried home five trophies: midget girls, junior boys, overall girls, overall boys and overall team.
“We’re very proud of all our athletes,” said St. Marcellinus coach Angelo DiFrancesco. “We have a lot of kids who are committed to winning and a lot of dedicated coaches who push the kids to the limit.”
onlinenews@mississauga.net
