91原创鈥檚 Georgia Ellenwood has been named to Team Canada.
鈥淒reams really do come true,鈥� Ellenwood enthused after the July 3 announcement.
鈥淭his took everything I had.鈥�
A few weeks earlier, Ellenwood set a personal best of 6,314 points to win the heptathlon at the Stadtwerke Ratingen Mehrkampf-Meeting in Ratingen, Germany in late June.
It was the same event where Ellenwood recorded a personal best javelin throw, at 48.57 metres, and also won the heptathlon 800 metres with a personal best time of two minutes, 11.45 seconds.
Georgia Ellenwood 馃嚚馃嚘 set a new personal best (6314) in the heptathlon to take 馃 at the Stadtwerke Ratingen Mehrkampf-Meeting in Germany 馃檶
鈥� Team Canada (@TeamCanada)
Let's hear it for Georgia! 馃憦
When the pandemic hit, Ellenwood returned to Canada from the U.S. to live and train in Toronto.
It was a move with a drawback, as she explained in a May message.
鈥淲orld ranking in the Heptathlon is based on both point total and bonus placement points in highly competitive meets,鈥� Ellenwood elaborated.
鈥淎ll competitions with bonus points are in Europe. We don鈥檛 host any competitive competitions in Canada to earn IAAF world ranking points.鈥�
鈥淥bviously this is not the ideal situation for someone with dreams of competing for their country in Tokyo,鈥� Ellenwood said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not perfect, but I will keep fighting because I love this sport and I鈥檓 thankful to have a body that is healthy and capable!鈥�
I鈥檝e always felt too comfortable with keeping things the same way and expecting to jump higher. I think it鈥檚 time to mix it up 馃ィ馃尓
鈥� Georgia Ellenwood (@george_ahhh)
Ellenwood is a 91原创 Secondary School 2013 graduate who lists 91原创 Mustangs coaches Kim Chapdelaine, Dwayne Lotnick and Brent Dolfo among her biggest inspirations.
She harvested many medals and top honours as a student athlete in 91原创, including the 2010 B.C. Summer Games held in the Township, where she won four gold medals, and was presented with the W.R. Bennett Award for Athletic Excellence, as the top performer at the Games.
She followed up in 2011 with another four gold medals, when Ellenwood was named the most outstanding female performer at the B.C. high school track and field championships.
READ MORE: VIDEO: 91原创鈥檚 Georgia Ellenwood takes gold at Big Ten Outdoor Championships
Ellenwood went on to become an eight-time NCAA All-American (six First Team, two Second Team) at the University of Wisconsin.
She had a memorable 2018 season when she won the heptathlon at the NCAA Championships, the Pan American Combined Events Cup, and the Canadian Championships.
That was after she missed the entire 2017 outdoor season because of breaking her foot on her jumping leg.
READ MORE: Ellenwood has golden touch
READ MORE: BC Summer Games a family affair for 91原创鈥檚 Ellenwood clan
On July 8, Olympic organizers announced the Games would take place without spectators, due to a new wave of COVID-19 cases in Japan.
Athletics events are scheduled to take place from July 30 to August 8 (Day 10 to 19) at Tokyo Olympic Stadium.
Is there more to the story? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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