Ormond makes history with fourth OFSAA Cross-Country title

November 9, 2018 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

Make it a clean sweep, and a new Ontario record, for Aurora’s Cameron (Cami) Ormond.
Ormond made history in Dundas on Saturday in capturing her fourth straight OFSAA cross country gold medal, the first woman to ever do so while becoming the second to win four throughout her high school career.
The Grade 12 student said breaking the OFSAA record was “an amazing feeling.”
“I felt so much support from my family, teammates, competitors, and all of the spectators leading up to, during, and after the race,” said Ormond. “I’m very happy to have ended my high school cross country career on a great note.”
Finishing the six-kilometre course in a time of 23:01.7, Ormond crossed the line just under twelve seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.
She called the race “tactical”, adding that the frontrunners were often bunched up on the narrow course making passing difficult.
“I used to larger hill on the course to pull away from the group, and from there just tried to keep a steady pace to the finish line,” said Ormond. “It was a great weather to run in, and I really liked the course.”
Battling a few minor injuries for a few weeks prior that put her record contention on the line, she credits her mother Sue, who works in muscle activation, for getting her race-ready.
“I cannot express how grateful I am for all her work and patience.”
Yet despite making history, the Aurora High School senior continues to stay humble about her achievements.
“I was just excited to be there at OFSAA, and glad I was able to perform the way I did.”
Though a competitor by the name of Kathy Butler, a multi-time Olympian, accomplished four gold medals in OFSAA cross-country in the late 1980s, it took her five years to do so. Two male competitors have ever accomplished the feat.
For the elite athlete, there’s no slowing down: next up is a trip to Seneca College this weekend for provincials with her club team, the Newmarket Huskies, before nationals in Kingston later this month, something Ormond said she is “definitely looking forward to.”
Ormond plans on staying in Canada to attend university while running for the school’s athletic program. She hopes to study engineering.