By Jeff Gard/TotalSportsNorthumberland.ca
Cobourg’s Kate Current continues to make big strides as a highly decorated runner for the Western University Mustangs.
Current has once again been recognized for her athletic accomplishments, and academic prowess, during five years at the London-based university, where she is graduating with an engineering degree. She will return to Western for a masters in engineering and use her fifth year of athletics eligibility, which was granted since this past season was wiped out.
Current was named this year’s recipient of Western’s 65th annual F.W.P. Jones Trophy Award, presented to the Mustangs’ top female student-athlete who in the opinion of the selection committee has made the greatest contributions to intercollegiate athletics, academics and community service. She was also awarded a 2020-21 Purple Blanket Award and a Western Mustangs Graduating Ring.
“Western has so many good athletes across all sports so not just being recognized as one of the best runners, it’s one of the best athletes,” Current said during the premiere episode of the Total Sports Northumberland podcast, adding that she has been part of a mentoring program in the engineering program. “It’s such an honour. I truly can’t wrap my mind around it.”
As noted in a release from Western, Current has won two Female Athlete of the Year awards, was a 1st and 2nd Team OUA All Star and a USports 1st and 2nd Team All across the 2018-19 and 2019-20 season.
During the 2019-20 track and field season, she won both the 1,500 and 3,000 metres at the Ontario University Athletics championships and placed second in the 1,500 metres at the USports national championships.
Current “developed into one of the all-time best distance runners at Western,” Mustangs’ track and field head coach Vickie Croley stated in the release. “She continued to exceed her expectations during the 2020 season in cross country and track. In 2020 she also made her first National team which I believe is only a stepping stone of what lies ahead for this incredible athlete.”
Last year, Current qualified to represent Canada at the FISU World University Cross-Country Championships in Morocco in March, but that event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was hopeful to qualify for this year’s World University Championships for track and field, but didn’t get that opportunity.
“This season I was looking forward to seeing Kate continue to improve, winning multiple medals and achieving All-Canadian performances that she has demonstrated she is capable of,” Croley stated.
Western cross-country head coach Guy Schultz praised the progress Current made over five years as a Mustang.
“She not only improved in the shorter track distances, which were her specialty, she also became one of our top cross country and distance runners in Western’s history,” Schultz stated. “During the five years that (Current) competed on the track, she showed an incredible range to compete successfully in a wide variety of events. (Current) continues to improve and we believe her competitive running career has just begun with many years of strong racing ahead of her.”
To hear more from Kate Current, you can check out her interview on this week’s Total Sports Northumberland podcast along with CFL legend Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons at: http://www.totalsportsnorthumberland.ca/2021/04/22/podcast-episode-1-with-kate-current-and-michael-pinball-clemons/
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
