OLDS — Dayley Reimer, who trains with Rachel Andres of Olds, won bronze in javelin in the rain during the Canada Summer Games in Newfoundland.
Reimer threw the javelin a distance of 42.14 metres (m).
On Friday, Aug. 22, Reimer threw a new personal best (PB) in the discus preliminary rounds to put her in fourth place, going into the finals.
“She threw 38.48m in really cold and wet conditions, so to come out with a new personal best and not even able to hit her form correctly bodes well for finals,” her coach, Rachel Andres wrote in an email.
In the discus finals, Reimer ended up in eighth place with a throw of 35.68m.
“(That was) still one of her best throws this season and the weather was pretty awful,” Andres wrote.
During an interview with the Albertan, Reimer said although it was often wet and cold, she feels she had a successful Games.
“Honestly, it was just a great experience,” Reimer said. “The people are great, going to Newfoundland was a cool place to see.
“And overall, I feel like the Games were run really well, so I just thought it was a great experience, just to be able to go.”
Reimer said there were a lot of factors that came into play during her athletic performance in Newfoundland.
“I was coming off an injury (an achilles strain), and the weather wasn't great, so honestly, I went into it just being grateful that I was able to be there,” she said.
Weather was certainly a real factor as she went for her bronze medal.
“It was very it was windy, a little bit rainy, maybe about 12 above, not ideal,” Reimer said. “(I) had to kind of stay warm, move around. It wasn't ideal, but it was still enjoyable.
Reimer’s PB in discus was also a real source of pride.
“It kind of came out of nowhere,” she said. “Again, the weather wasn't great, but I guess once I had finished javelin, which was my main event, I think I was just more relaxed and not as worried about competing. And I think, honestly, that's kind of what got me that personal best.”
Reimer said the results she obtained in the Canada Games give her confidence going into the next season.
“I mean, it's always encouraging to do well in a big competition. But yeah, seeing those other girls, I know there's a lot of good other athletes out there, and I’ve got to keep training to stay up with those girls,” she said.
However, Reimer said it’s “limiting” to train and compete in outdoor athletics in Canada because the season – maybe four or five months – is so short.
“But yeah, it is definitely encouraging to get a medal and kind of know where you stand within the other competitors, for sure,” she said.
Reimer was asked if smoke from the wildfires in Newfoundland or any other province have an effect on her.
“It was smoky the day we arrived, but the rain and the cold weather pushed it away,” Reimer wrote in a text. “Smoke wouldn’t really affect my performance anyways, unless it was really bad. It’s more the runners that get affected by that.”
Reimer is now entering her third year of kinesiology (the study of muscles) and education at the University of Calgary.
