Kate Van Buskirk
Medal record
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Kate Van Buskirk (born 1987) is an internationally accomplished cross-country runner, from Brampton, Ontario, Canada. She won bronze for Canada at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the 1500 m.
2003
In 2003, Van Buskirk set the record for junior girls ROPSSAA (Region of Peel Secondary Schools Athletic Association) 800 m, at 2:17.58. She followed this up in 2004, by setting the record in the senior girls ROPSSAA 800 m category, at 2:11.47, and in the 1500 m category, at 4:38.53. Both records still stand.
2004
Kate won the 2004 Runners' Choice London Distance Festival for the 800 m , but only placed third in the 800 m juniors at the Hamilton Spectator Indoor Games.
Van Buskirk won the title of "Athlete of the Year" from the City of Brampton in 2004. She also won the 2004 Ken Giles Award for Brampton's Amateur Athlete of the Year, from The Brampton Guardian. She also won her high school's female athlete of the year award in the 2004-2005 school year. These awards were not only for her cross country and track running, but also volleyball. Kate attended Duke University in North Carolina, where she sang Alto II for the Duke Chorale and Chamber Choir under the direction of Rodney Wynkoop.
2005
In March 2005, Van Buskirk went to the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, held in Le Mans, France. She finished in the top half, at 57th place, despite hot and humid conditions. This was the second highest Canadian finish at the event.
Van Buskirk graduated from Turner Fenton Secondary School in June 2005 with honours at the Academic level of study, but returned for a fifth year.
In 2005, Van Buskirk won her category of the McQuaid Invitational, a race for high school athletes, held in Rochester, New York. At the event Van Buskirk set a meet record. Later, Van Buskirk won the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) championship for her category. Next Van Buskirk won the Ontario Track and Field Association (OTFA) junior championship.
In December 2005, Van Buskirk won the Canadian junior championship, held in Vancouver, British Columbia. She ran the 5000-metre distance in 16:38, three seconds faster than Anita Campbell of Abbotsford, British Columbia, a runner at Washington State University.
In May 2005, Van Buskirk set the current ROPSSAA record for girls open steeplechase, at 5:12.00.
2006
At the 2006 Pan-Am junior track and field championships, Kate Van Buskirk finished fifth in the 800 m.
The Canadian junior title qualified her for the NACAC Cross Country Championships (North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association) in Florida, to be held March 2006. Van Buskirk told The Brampton Guardian "I really don't know what to expect (at NACAC) because I've never been there." Because of this win, Athletics Canada chose her for the 2006 World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, to be held in April. Van Buskirk told the Guardian that she'd "like to be top 30 and the top Canadian" at the Worlds.
As of 2006, Van Buskirk trained 12 to 16 km daily, with long runs of 18 km. She trains at the Mississauga Track Club, under her coach/father Jim Van Buskirk, as well as training with the Toronto Olympic Club and coach Eddie Raposo.
Kate won gold medal at 2006 NACAC Cross Country Championships - North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
2011
Kate finished 10th in the final Athletics at the 2011 Summer Universiade – Women's 1500 metres.
2013
Kate place 6th in the 1500 metres semifinal 14th IAAF World Championships in Athletics. Kate's 4:07.36 was a personal best time 2013 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 1500 metres.
2014
Kate earned bronze medal Athletics at the 2014 Commonwealth Games – Women's 1500 metres.
2015
Kate will represent Canada in the 1500 metres at the 15th IAAF World Championship in Athletics
References
- Frank Juzenas, Brampton Guardian: "Van Buskirk still on the run". Brampton ON: Metroland Publishing, 8 January 2006.