It's potentially a season of double gold for Nick Blackburn, a hurdler with the Comox Valley Cougars Track & Field Club.
If his 2010 performances are any indication, the Grade 12 student at Vanier Secondary is the odds-on favourite to win the 110 metre and 400m hurdles at the B.C. high school track and field championships next month at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby. Last year, Blackburn finished a close second in both events, clocking 15.67 in the 110s and 55.36 seconds in the 400s. The winning times were 15.59 and 55.35.
"It was a good year," said Blackburn, 18, whose has set personal bests this season at 15.41 and 55.12.
He is gunning for an unprecedented fourth consecutive 400m hurdles title and second sprint hurdles victory at the Vancouver Island track and field championships, which run today and tomorrow at the University of Victoria. Blackburn's main competition will likely come from his friend Dustin Sapala of Victoria.
While he has also posted impressive times in the sprints — covering 100m in 11.06 seconds; 200m in 22.75; and 400 in 50.32 seconds — Blackburn will focus strictly on hurdles this week.
"It's pretty demanding and requires sacrifice," he said.
Though his specialty is the longer race, he competes in both "because it's good training.
"Endurance applies to both of them, and then the sprint hurdles the speed you acquire there, it transfers over well to the 400 hurdles when you need it."
Cougars head coach John May describes Blackburn as a "superb athlete" who gives it his all in training — as he does with everything away from the track.
"He's one of the finest athletes I've ever worked with," said May, noting the difficulty of hurdling. "When you stand at the start area and you see that sea of white, that is the most intimidating thing that I've ever seen. They're (hurdlers) amazing kids."
Blackburn credits May for the sacrifices he makes on behalf of athletes.
"What he does is unbelievable for the club."
Besides a strong showing at provincials, Blackburn's goal for the season is to qualify for the BC team that competes at junior nationals in Winnipeg.
"It's a whole new level of competition," he said, noting the top athletes at nationals qualify for the Pan American Games.
Top-level competition is nothing new for Blackburn, who has twice competed for Team BC at the Legion national youth athletic championships, once when he was 15 and again last year in Ottawa. At the 2010 competition, which he called "an incredible experience," Blackburn won silver medals in the 300m hurdles, 110m hurdles and the sprint relay.
"Those are my primary goals," he said of provincials and national juniors. "After that, stay in shape so that when I come back the next season it's not too much of a struggle."
Come September, Blackburn will be training and studying at the University of Alaska Anchorage, where has accepted a scholarship offer.
"It's absolutely incredible up there," he said, praising the team, coach and facilities. "They have this superb facility. They have a 400 metre indoor track up there. It's the largest in North America. It's pretty impressive."
In keeping with the club's mandate, the Comox Valley Road Runners awarded Blackburn an annual Youth Training Grant to assist with training and competition expenses.
"Which is really nice," a gracious Blackburn said of the $300 gift. "It's going to help a lot. It's pretty expensive up there (Alaska)."
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com