The best of the best high school track and field athletes from throughout the province are converging on Langley this week.

Langley, and specifically the McLeod Athletic Park (MAP), are a preferred location for the BC High School Track and Field (BCTF) Championships that are happening Thursday through Saturday.

While the local track and most of its competition amenities are pretty standard, it香蕉视频直播檚 the covered stadium and media booth used for staging, as well as the jumbotron that keep organizer Andrew Lenton and the team from the BCTF香蕉视频直播檚 commission coming back to Langley again and again.

香蕉视频直播淭he media tower makes a great staging area for the event, for us, from an organizational perspective,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淏ut the feedback we get from the spectators is that the jumbotron is something they香蕉视频直播檙e really wanting to keep, so we香蕉视频直播檝e come back here.香蕉视频直播�

He said the Township香蕉视频直播檚 parks and rec staff have been 香蕉视频直播済reat to deal with.香蕉视频直播� And the commission香蕉视频直播檚 long-standing relationship with the Langley Mustangs track and field club has made it possible to facilitate 香蕉视频直播渁n event of this magnitude香蕉视频直播� year after year.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a really great facility. The Township of Langley is great to work with, their parks and rec. The facilities are great,香蕉视频直播� said Lenton, who is assistant coach at Maple Ridge Secondary and commissioner for the B.C. High School Track & Field Commission.

In addition to complimenting parks and rec, he said partnering with the Langley Mustangs track and field club to facilitate an event of this magnitude has been key.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 just a massive event,香蕉视频直播� Lenton said Wednesday afternoon from MAP.

It香蕉视频直播檚 one of the largest high school competitions of any kind in the country, comparable only to the Ontario track and field event, he said.

It will be a full house, added Lenton, noting that once again there will be 2,400 students from 335 high school throughout the province competing.

香蕉视频直播淲e cap out. We limit and restrict who can come into the championships,香蕉视频直播� he explained. 香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 many thousands and thousands more who have not been as lucky as to qualify or get a berth into the championships.香蕉视频直播�

In addition to all the athletes expected, there are another 400 coaches, and countless parents and supporters coming to Langley this weekend.

香蕉视频直播淭his is a huge undertaking,香蕉视频直播� Lenton told the Langley Advance, explaining that these annual championships takes more than a year of prep time to arrange.

Speaking to that, he and the other commission directors started preparing for 2019香蕉视频直播檚 competition last summer.

The championships are primarily held within the Lower Mainland, because of facilities and logistics.

Only on rare occasions does it get moved to the Island or Interior.

It was hosted at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna in 1972, and Nanaimo in 2015, Lenton recalled. But he confirmed it will be back in Kelowna again next year, and he香蕉视频直播檚 already making plans for their return to Langley in 2020.

This is year six for Lenton at the helm.

香蕉视频直播淚 thought I would do it for one year, and somehow I香蕉视频直播檓 finding myself in year six. I don香蕉视频直播檛 know how that happened,香蕉视频直播� he said.

It香蕉视频直播檚 primarily the calibre of athletes he sees participating year after year, and their insatiable quest to better themselves, that keeps him coming back.

This year香蕉视频直播檚 competition includes 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1,500-metre races, long jump, shot put, high jump, javelin, triple jump, steeplechase, race walking, discus, and hammer for students Grade 8 through 12.

香蕉视频直播淭his really is, in terms of high school track and field competition, as good as it gets,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淚n fact, We have some of the best athletes in the world competing,香蕉视频直播� he added, encouraging sports enthusiasts to watch the performances.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e going to be exciting,香蕉视频直播� Lenton said of the various showdowns. 香蕉视频直播淔or a lot of the kids, this is what they香蕉视频直播檝e been practicing and training for months and months.香蕉视频直播�

While Thursday香蕉视频直播檚 action runs from 3 to about 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday are full days. Friday will see meets and competitions running from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to about 5 p.m.

That香蕉视频直播檚 long days, Lenton admitted. But to make it more palatable for spectators, most of the finals have been arranged between about 2 and 5 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e loaded in all the finals in those times,香蕉视频直播� or at least as many as they could accommodate.

More information: .