ABBOTSFORD — Mike Mason of the Valley Royals track and field team won the high jump on Saturday at the prestigious Mt. Sac Relays in Walnut, California, and became eligible for selection to Canada’s Olympic team in the process.
Mason, formerly of Nanoose Bay, cleared 2.28 metres (7’5”) to top an excellent field of jumpers that included second-place finisher Edgar Rivera-Morales.
More importantly, Mason’s performance was the second time in three weeks that he has cleared the Canadian Olympic ‘B’ standard and makes him eligible for selection to the Canadian team that will compete at this summer’s Olympic Games in London. He must finish top-three at nationals to finalize a berth.
Mason, now living in Abbotsford and training with the Royals, will travel to Guadeloupe next week for an international meet featuring a number of world-ranked jumpers. This will give Mason another opportunity to achieve the world ‘A’ standard of 2.31m.
— Abbotsford News/Black Press