By Larry Moko
A 'real special athlete' arrived at Bishop Tonnos Catholic Secondary School 10 months ago.
She's Reese FitzGibbon, a multi-sport competitor who, at last week's OFSAA track and field championships in Toronto, won a gold medal for the Titans in novice girls' discus.
Her winning throw was 31.85 metres.
"She's broken all the records here at BT," Tonnos coach Sean McPhee said of FitzGibbon's rookie season. "We've got a very special athlete. She works hard at her craft and is a joy to coach."
A member of the Hamilton Olympic Club, FitzGibbon also placed fourth at OFSAA shot put with a throw of 11.35m.
"She's had a great foundation from the club," McPhee added. "Reese does javelin, shot put and discus.
"She would have been in javelin at OFSAA, too, but she had to miss the GHAC qualifier because of another competition (15U volleyball nationals) in Edmonton."
The Grade 9 student, who played Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic senior high school volleyball for Tonnos last winter, was in Alberta for youth nationals with her Smash Raiders Ignite club teammates.
"We tied for fifth in the country, so that's not bad," she said.
Winning the gold medal at the York University facility was a thrilling moment for FitzGibbon.
"Before my last throw in discus the girl who was in second place and could have beat me, faulted on her last throw," FitzGibbon recalled. "I just lit up. I was like 'oh my God, I just won. Then, when I went out to throw I threw really well -- a PB (32.90). Once it got measured and I came out of the cage, me and my friend started celebrating with hugs and high 5s. It was so fun."
The reaction to her fourth-place performance in shot put was more subdued.
"I would have loved to get a medal, but I'm not disappointed," she said. "I was 27 centimeters off, so if I would have thrown a PB I would have got a bronze medal.
"I was pretty consistent. Three throws in the 11s."
McPhee says FitzGibbon is still a relative newcomer to field sports.
"Reese is on a learning curve right now," he said. "She's only been at this for about a year. She's obviously very strong and her power comes from her lower body. Her technique isn't perfect but it's getting there.
"In discus, it's intricate to make the spin and release at the right time. She has a lot of natural ability."
FitzGibbon agrees that she has been making progress.
"My first ever throw in discus this season was a 26m," she said. "My personal best is 32m. So that's six metres. That's quite a bit.
"I've got more comfortable. It's more fun now that I can throw it well."
In shot put, she placed seventh at the Canadian U16 indoor nationals.
"That was a while ago," she said. "I've been throwing a lot better since then."
As for combining volleyball and field events, FitzGibbon -- a middle on the court -- plans to continue doing both.
"Right now I split my time equally between the two and I hope to keep it like that until I can't do one or the other," she said. "I really hope to go far in both sports."
