Armed with binoculars, Peter and Ann Withers were among the spectators in the stands on Thursday as the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 100 metre competition got underway at the Bell Canadian Track and Field Championships at 91原创鈥檚 McLeod Athletic Park.

The Abbotsford couple鈥檚 reason for attending was sitting next to them 鈥� their grandson Ethan Wilkie, who competed in the men鈥檚 400 meter earlier that morning.

鈥淚 made my semis, so I race tomorrow [Friday] morning,鈥� Wilkie said.

Wilkie grew up in 91原创 and Abbotsford, attending St. Catherine鈥檚 Elementary in Brookswood and St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary in Abbotsford.

Raised in 91原创 and Abbotsford, Wilkie is now a masters student at the University of New Brunswick, competing for the St. John Reds.

Coming home was a great opportunity for his grandparents to watch him compete, but also let him check out all the changes to McLeod in recent years.

鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely surreal,鈥� said Wilkie, who recalled seeing the track and field complex being built when he was a child. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see how much money they have put into the stadium.鈥�

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Ann and Peter Withers were excited to get to see their grandson race.

鈥淲ith COVID, we haven鈥檛 been able to visit very much,鈥� Peter noted.

Ann said Wilkie has always been athletic.

鈥淗e鈥檚 been doing it for a long time,鈥� she said.

Peter noted that he wasn鈥檛 quite so tall when he started out, though.

There were multiple events taking place at the McLeod Athletic Park track and field complex on Thursday, including finals in several events for the decathlon and heptathlon, finals in 100m wheelchair races, and javelin finals for both senior and para-athletes.

There were also qualifying heats for the 400m and 100m for both adult and U20 athletes, and qualifiers for the U20 1500m and the senior men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 800m races.

The competition began Wednesday and wraps up Sunday, June 26.