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34 SPORTS Young speed skater reigns supreme at long track nationals Miltoh Canadian Champion | Thursday, March 1, 2018 | insidehalton.com Olympics continue to inspire McGill , STEVE LEBLANC sleblanc@miltoncanadian champion.com Like most speedskating fans across Canada, Aara- lyn McGill lost more than a few hours sleep watch- ing the world's elite per- formers chase down glory in Pyeongchang. For someone just start- ing to write her own suc- cess story in the sport, what she got back from those early-morning viewings was immeasur- able. "Every time I watch the Olympics, it's phenome- nal," said the young Campbellville resident, whose love affair with speedskating began when she caught a glimpse of it on a McDonald's TV screen during the 2010 Vancouver Games. "Each .that opportunity, time, I want it" (to re- present my country) even more." Aaralyn may well get if re- sults as of late are any in- dication. Enjoying a sharp up- ward trajectory in the sport since taking it up at age six, she recently re- turned from Quebec City as the overall 12-year-old golden girl at the Canadi- an Age Class Long Track Championships. Gaining: extra motiva- tion from a heartbreaking razor-thin loss in the 3,000 metre - in which she deliv- ered a personal best time 0f 5:19.690 and led until the second last turn - Aaralyn capped the weekend with impressive victories in the 500 m (49.450 seconds) and 1,500 m (2:40.280). That plus a tourna- ment-opening 30.310 s fin- ish to win the 300 m was enough to put her atop the overall podium in afield of 18 competitors. "Honestly, it (all- hr Aaralyn McGill photo Aaralyn McGill competes at the Canadian Age Class Long Track Championships in Quebec City. around victory) was a re- lief. I didn't know what to expect," said the newly- minted Canadian champ, * who'd follow up those na- tional exploits with her sixth straight provincial title the next weekend in Newmarket. Making great strides in her form since joining the Cambridge Speed Skating Club - affer years laying a solid. foundation at her hometown club Aara- lyn's 2017-18 season high- lights include a 5:24.41 Olympic start effort in the 3,000 m at Lake Placid. That has her .seated 10th in the world rankings for her-age group. "The improvements I've made in my technique are phenomenal," said Aa- ralyn, who's also especial- ly encouraged. about breaking the 500 rm 50-seec- ond barrier a few. times this season - starting back at her own club in Septem- ber. "Everything's changed . from how I skate to the way I'look at'how I want to do in competi- tion." Up next for the young speedskater are the Onta- rio Winter Games in Oril- lia March 1 to 4 and the Canada East champion- ships later in the month in Quebec. ARE YOU THE NEXT BLUE DEVIL? ARlelgcH ol} (Sh Wiuedevilsacademy. i