Standing on the international podium, holding up a Canadian flag, was an inexperience unlike any other for northern B.C. runner Tyler Dozzi.

After exploding a 42-year-old track and field record last year, , and the year before, the renowned young Terrace runner has now seized silver in the Pan American Cross Country Championships.

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Dozzi and five other Team Canada runners competed in the race last Saturday against 39 of the top under-20 menB次元官网网址檚 runners from North and South America.

Dozzi won silver, and together with the other runners on Team Canada claimed gold in the international championship, with the most runners in high ranks overall.

Originally from Terrace B.C., Dozzi moved in Grade 11 to Vancouver and ran for Oak Bay High School and for the Prairie Inn Harriers running team based in Victoria. Now heB次元官网网址檚 in his first year at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Despite his extensive running background, Dozzi says the Pan Am race was one of the most mentally and physically taxing races he has ever run.

Held in El Salvador, it was 35 C, and was an 8K cross-country race, with runners making four laps around a two-kilometre course.

Dozzi says going in, he wasnB次元官网网址檛 as fit as he wanted to be, due to an injury to his Achilles late last December, which limited his training for most of January. He did get a chance to train a few times on a treadmill in a special heat chamber at a Lululemon gym in Vancouver, which he believes helped him a lot.

As the runners took off on the 8K course, officials along the sidelines offered sponges and even bags of cold water for runners to pour on themselves to help cool down.

Dozzi said Team Canada worked well together, running in a pack and passing sponges off to help each other stay cool.

He worried that he took off too fast at the beginning and his arms began to burn about halfway through.

B次元官网网址淢y arms started to burn up, and I didnB次元官网网址檛 know if that was from the running or from the sun, but I was a bit concerned. But I decided rather than to focus on the pain, just to focus on how long I had been training for this, and on how badly I wanted to perform well for Canada.B次元官网网址�

At about 3K, a number of runners started to slow and a pack of four took the lead, consisting of Dozzi, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Thomas Knobs, AmericaB次元官网网址檚 Connor Lane and ColombiaB次元官网网址檚 Jhonathan Polished Friar.

Dozzi says he and fellow Canadian runner Knobs ran together in third and fourth place, switching back and forth in front to help each other out.

In the final 250 kilometres, the two Canadian runners let loose, fighting to take the lead. They passed the Colombian, but didnB次元官网网址檛 quite catch the American.

B次元官网网址淲e werenB次元官网网址檛 able to catch him. It was a little bit too late,B次元官网网址� said Dozzi.

The American, Connor Lane, won gold at 25:06, Dozzi took silver just 13 seconds behind, at 25:19, and Canadian Thomas Nobbs got bronze at 25:23. Other Canadians Andrew Alexander and Max Turek took fourth and seventh, respectively. (See full results from below)

B次元官网网址淚 finished the race strong,B次元官网网址� said Dozzi, B次元官网网址渁nd very, very overheated.

B次元官网网址淚t was definitely one of the most painful races I have ever run,B次元官网网址� Dozzi said, referring to the battle of overcoming the intense heat.

B次元官网网址淭here were a few runners struggling at the finish line, some collapsing,B次元官网网址� he explained.

And yet, even with the incredible pain and difficulty, Dozzi said the resulting experience was unforgettable.

B次元官网网址淚t was a pretty spectacular feeling stepping onto the podium, holding the national flag, especially when I stepped up with the team,B次元官网网址� said Dozzi.

B次元官网网址淚t was unique from any other race, any other medal ceremony IB次元官网网址檝e ever had because it wasnB次元官网网址檛 just me winning there. It wasnB次元官网网址檛 just me having a personal successB次元官网网址� it was actually being on a national team, representing my country , and doing well in the race.

B次元官网网址淭o step on the podium and receive a medal for Canada, not just for myself, was a completely unique experience,B次元官网网址� he said.

Dozzi says he is aiming for Olympics, probably 2024, but he has a few more key steps to take before then. His next goal is to represent UBC at the national university championships, and then, this summer, to make the national team for the under-20 track and field world championships.

That championship is the equivalent to the Olympics, but for under-20 athletes, and will be in Finland this summer, July 10-15.

jackie@terracestandard.com
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