Derek Quick - August 12, 2010
Derek Quick is an eighteen year old graduate of Paris District High School who excels in triathlon, swimming, running and cycling.
Over the years he has won numerous awards including awards with the Ontario Association of Triathletes for overall Kids of Steel Triathlete in his age group from the ages of 8 to 15. He has received overall triathlon series awards, Top Age Group, Multisport Canada in 2009, the PDHS Career Contribution Awards for track and field and cross country in 2010, the Brantford Aquatic Club LEAD award for Leadership Encouragement and Dedication in and out of the pool for 2007/08, the BAC Nancy Dailey Award in 2009 for leadership and inspiring teammates in 2008/09, the BAC Optimist Club Competitive Team Spirit Award 2008/09, and the Brantford Sports Council Sports Recognition Award, Frank Bricker Memorial Award for male youth leadership in 2009.
Derek participated in his first triathlon when he was 8 years old at Chemong Lake and now competes at the Junior Elite National Level. He started swimming at age 4 with the Brantford Aquatic Club and has moved up through their programs starting with swim school and progressing through the novice and then competitive levels. He has reached Senior National Swim standards and will continue to swim for Guelph University as a member of their varsity team this fall.
Derek started running in kindergarten at St. George German School at the age of 5 in the Brantford Classic 5k run as a member of the school team and has participated in the race every year. He started cross country and track and field in grade 4 at St. George German School and continued to run every year at Paris District High school in cross country and track until graduating this year. He currently trains at the Cambridge Harriers Running Club.
Derek competed in triathlon at the Junior elite level traveling across Canada to compete in the Triathlon Canada Junior National Series races. The race consists of a 750m swim, 20km draft legal bike and 5k run; his best performance to date was an 8th place finish in Saskatoon Sask. in July 2010.
He placed in the top 3 overall in all of the Ontario triathlon races in 2010 and has competed in and placed first in his age group at each race. He previously competed at the World Triathlon Age Group Championships in the sprint distance in 2008.
In swimming he has attained Sr. National swim times, due to triathlon conflicts he chose not to go to Age Group Nationals in Winnipeg or Senior Nationals in Victoria this year but during the winter months he competed at the Eastern Canadian Championships where he qualified for finals in the 400 freestyle, placing 10th in the 800 freestyle and 5th in the 1500 freestyle. At Junior provincials he won a bronze medal in the 1500 freestyle and in May he competed at the Senior provincials where he won a bronze medal in the 1500 freestyle. He also competed in the Ontario Open water 5k swim and placed 5th in the open men category in 2010.
In running Derek placed in the top 3 many times in cross country and in track and field at the county level in public school and high school. This year he was second in the senior boys at the Brant County cross country championships. A highlight of his high school cross country career was qualifying for OFSSA in grade 9 when he moved up to compete in Junior boys he traveled to Thunder Bay to compete at OFSSA with the PDHS Jr Boys team. He also competed at the OTFA Ontario Cross Country Championships as a member of the Cambridge Harriers team in 2009, and they were the Ontario team champions in the Junior men's event and went on to compete at the Canadian Cross Country Championships. This year he competed for PDHS at the Brant County Track and Field championships and placed 1st in the 1500m and 3000m events and went on to CWOSSA, posting personal best times in both events.
Derek was a member of the cross country and track teams at St. George German School and Paris District High School. He will be swimming on the varsity team at Guelph University while continuing to train for elite level triathlons. He also participated in Relay for Life at PDHS
He routinely volunteers at triathlons across Ontario and often will race in a triathlon early in the morning and stay to volunteer for the kids races or adult tri events. He has also taught swim school for the Brantford Aquatic Club and recently attained his National Lifeguard certification, and guards at swim meets for the Brantford Aquatic Club.
Derek will be studying Human Kinetics at Guelph University in September and hopes to learn from his university experience which direction in science he would like to follow. In sports he plans on continuing to compete at the National level in triathlon and place in the top 10 with hopes to progress to the International junior elite level in 2011.
In 2011 he will be competing at the Senior National level in swimming and his run and cycle training will continue but only to improve his triathlon performances and compete locally in Ontario. His long term goals are to compete internationally at the elite level in triathlon and pursue a science related career.
Derek would like to thank his parents and all of his coaches from BAC over the years, including his current coach Tom Langridge, his running coach Gary Cassell, and especially Dan McKerrall, his triathlon coach, who helps coordinate all of his workouts, and works with all of his coach's to make his training schedule come together.
Congratulations Derek and good luck.
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