Newton chasing Esmie

West Ferris sprinter Adam Newton is the favourite to defend both his 100m and 200m NOSSA titles in Sault Ste. Marie. Photo by Chris Dawson.

It may be hard to believe, but West Ferris Sprinter Adam Newton is looking to sprint by NOSSA records this week that were set by an Olympic Gold Medalist.

Newton, who broke three NDA records (100 M, 200 M, 4 X100 relay) at the local high school championship meet at Cundari Field last Thursday is on pace to break 1996 Olympic Gold Medal relay runner Robert Esmie’s 100 and 200 metre times. The Sudbury runner set the new standard for NOSSA sprinting back in 1991.

“My records right now the 10.6 and the 21.5 are above his records so he has a 10.7 at NOSSA and he has a 21.9 at NOSSA, I’m gunning for his 200 but his 100 might be a little harder,” Newton said after his NDA gold medal performance anchoring the West Ferris 4 X 100 metre relay team.

While Newton has run as fast as 10.37 (hand-timed) on the Cundari Track in North Bay this spring, the North Bay speedster is worried that track conditions at the Jo Forman Track in Sault Ste. Marie will slow him down.

“They told me that the track at NOSSA was redone this year but that’s kind of iffy you know,” Newton said.

“If it’s redone I’m going for the record but if it’s not, I’ll still go but if it’s a cement-asphalt track then there’s not really much I can do about it. I’ll try but you know I’m predicting if it’s an asphalt track I’m not going to get the record.”

Record or no record, Newton is still flattered by comparisons to Robert Esmie, who had the words “blast-off” shaved in the back of his head prior to his 1996 gold medal win in Atlanta alongside Donovan Bailey, Glenroy Gilbert and Bruny Surin, in an upset victory over the heavy favourite host team from the United States.

“It’s a great feeling, I mean Robert Esmie was a fantastic sprinter and it’s kind of an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence with him, in the same context you know but it’s great though he’s a good sprinter and I hope I can become as good as him one day.”

The way Newton has taken off this spring, it wouldn’t be considered an upset if Newton “blast’s-off” with those two NOSSA records under his belt.