For the fans who frequent the Marauders website, one name has continued to appear on the front page throughout the school year. No, it is not a point guard, an outside hitter or a quarterback. It is Sergio Raez Villanueva.
Villanueva is a rising star on the cross-country and track team at McMaster, and since arriving at McMaster from McGill following an illness, his name has been hard to miss.
The second-year biology major earned his third Pita Pit Athlete of the Week honours on Jan. 15 following a gold medal at Windsor’s Can-Am meet. There, Villanueva posted a converted time of 3:50.51 in the 1500m event, which is currently Canada’s third fastest time at that event and the fourth-fastest in McMaster history. Villanueva also ranks seventh in Canada in the men’s 3000m track events, the only Marauder to rank nationally in the top 12 in any category.
“I tend to not think much when I’m running,” Villanueva said. “I think it is partly because I do not want to get super nervous. I find my best races have been when I just went and I was like, ‘hey it’s going to be a fun race, I have no expectations, I’m going to give it my best shot’. I’m thinking right now of a 10km race that I did in 30 [minutes] flat, still my best time to this day. That race I was like I got nothing to lose, I’m just going to run and have fun. Turns out it was still one of the best races I have ever run in my life.”
His excellence in the indoor season is really no surprise to anyone as that is Villanueva’s specialty. The bigger change for Villanueva this year was adapting the uneven terrain of outdoor running.
“Sergio is a team leader, very accepting of everyone on the team. A very kind and thoughtful individual — there is no one like him.”
Paula Schnurr
Head coach
McMaster track team
“I’m more of a track guy since it’s just a flat surface, even ground,” Villanueva said. “I’m more of a top speed person that if it’s even ground, I can grind it out. However, when we started cross-country [coach Paula Shnurr] and I talked, and she said [I] should try focusing [my] off-day runs more on the grass. So that’s the one thing that I really changed this year. Every day I was just going to a park and [running] loops on the grass. And it seems to have done something because that was the best cross-country season I’ve had.”
The statistics back the deception up as Villanueva earned himself a Second Team All-Canadian distinction after running the 10km event in 31:43.42 at the U Sports Championships, good enough to place him eighth overall in the country. The drive to win starts at practice and is not lost on the team’s coaching staff.
“Sergio is very driven and focused but more importantly he just loves to run and race,” said Schnurr. “He is very talented and works hard in practice — at times I have to encourage him to slow down. Sergio is not afraid to lead races and make the pace tough for his competitors. He is fearless. His goal is to run faster than the last race and he is always looking to make each race his best.”
Villanueva has always said he prefers the longer distances, like 8km and 10km, with the 1500m being the shortest he likes to run. So it only makes sense he took a long road to get here. Despite his winding path to Hamilton, McMaster always managed to stay on Villanueva’s mind.
“Even before I went to McGill I was always between McMaster and McGill,” Villanueva said. “It’s funny because the summer before I went to McGill I had this placement at McMaster and I contacted Paula like, ‘Hey, I’m around so maybe I could join some practices’. To me this resonated from the very beginning — Paula was just so welcoming from the very beginning and the team was a so accepting, even though they knew that I was going to McGill at that point, they were just so accepting to have me that summer and train with them. I went to McGill and then that whole nonsense happened I recovered and contacted Paula, got back into training because I had a whole year before I started school. That year Paula got me in shape and I managed to do a track race on 10km, and I went to Poland for the World Juniors. So what I’d like to say is that it’s thanks to Paula and the team really — they were so welcoming. It was great being around those guys and we all work together and prosper together and get better together. Who I am now as a runner is thanks to them.”
The change in venue for Villanueva was never a rocky experience for the young runner.
“The only disappointment for Sergio was that he had to sit out a year before he could compete for Mac,” added Schnurr.
The fact that he could ease into the community coming from another program is a testament to the track team, and the university community at large.
“The McMaster community is great,” Villanueva said. “Not only the team but just the community in general honestly. The bumpy stuff was just like you know the paperwork for transferring. Once I got in and it was kind of smooth sailing. I don’t know what else to say to be honest. McMaster is a very welcoming community. I had no problems adapting or starting again at McMaster. So I’m very grateful.”
Villanueva grew up in Peru where he spent most of his time playing tennis. It was only in Grade 8 when his family moved to Canada that he discovered cross-country running. He began to seriously train after joining a club in high school and the rest is history. He even represented Ontario in the Canada Summer Games where he got to meet athletes from all sports.
While Villanueva has his sights set on making the U Sports Championships, he is focusing on improving in the 3000m race right now in addition to the 1500m. While he will focus on statistical improvements during practice, Villanueva also brings the intangibles to every training session.
“Sergio is a real pleasure to coach,” Schnurr said. “When he is absent from practice it is noticeable. He always has a smile on his face and is happy to be at practice. He is extremely supportive of his teammates and in general makes people feel at ease when he is around them.”
The team has only two more competitions to get their reps in before the provincial and national championship meets. When they hit the road towards Boston and then Toronto, the team will only continue to improve.
“The future’s pretty bright,” said Villanueva. “We’re really eager for the next coming years as the team’s progressing very, very well. We came fourth at U Sports as a team in cross-country recently, and we are really excited to try to get to the podium soon.”
Yet regardless of the results, the track team has proven with star athletes like Villanueva that they have a program that is welcoming to all new athletes, and they are successful because of it. In the seasons ahead, Villanueva will continue to be a mainstay on the Marauders home page.
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By: Eamon Hillis
When a season comes to an end, and an athlete is forced to reflect, the sense of accomplishment or failure they feel is often determined solely by the outcome of a single championship event. For McMaster’s Jeff Tweedle, this event was the U Sports Indoor Track and Field Championships in Edmonton, Alberta between March 9-11.
Tweedle qualified in both the 1000m and 1500m, and entered the meet as a top-three seed in both events. His chances at a national medal were as promising as they were precarious, and he knew this well.
In the 1000m, Tweedle’s first event of the competition, he chose to move to the lead early and to dictate the pace from the front. In choosing this strategy his goal was to force the rest of the field into an uncomfortable pace and to nullify the kicks of some of the faster finishers. His strategy worked well. Tweedle crossed the line in third place with a time of 2:25.85, capturing his first national medal as a Marauder.
“I’m very happy with how the 1000m turned out,” Tweedle said. “I thought I executed a pretty solid race plan and I was able to hold on for third place. My goal was just to get out in the front, race hard, and see what happens. I came in as confident and as fit as I’ve ever been.”
With only 24 hours of rest after his medal winning performance, Tweedle found himself back on the track to try again in the 1500m. Surprisingly, the race’s narrative unfolded similarly to the previous day. As is the case in many championship races, especially as the distances get longer, runners are reluctant to take the lead early because it requires more energy. When Tweedle found himself leading the race from the start however, he embraced the opportunity and committed to pushing the pace. With a lap to go he lost his lead and ultimately faded to a fifth place finish.
“In the 1500m I felt that I didn’t pick a winning strategy,” Tweedle said. “I kind of got pushed out to the front and instead of easing up to potentially get tripped up by the pack I decided to go to the lead. I felt I had some of the best speed in the field, and if it came down to a kick I would have a good chance.”
"My goal was just to get out in the front, race hard, and see what happens. I came in as confident and as fit as I've ever been."
Jeff Tweedle
McMaster track and field
Going in, McMaster’s track and field head coach Paula Schnurr believed that Tweedle’s best opportunity at medal was in the 1500m. Far from being disappointed in her athlete’s performance however, she understood the uncertainty of outcome that comes with championship racing.
“Something that became quite evident over the weekend was that Jeff was fearless,” Schnurr said. “He was definitely a more mature runner this time around, and going out hard to take the lead was something that he wasn’t afraid to do. It is often only hundredths of a second that separate the finishers in those championship races. Anybody can win at that level, so you just have to put yourself in a good position. Racing continues to be a learning experience for everyone, and I don’t think it ever stops being that.”
Schnurr is an accomplished middle-distance runner herself. The former Marauder is a two-time Olympian in the 1500m and enjoyed a long and successful career on the international circuit. Her unique perspective grants her the ability to mentor Tweedle as very few can.
“[Coach Schnurr] has a wealth of experience,” Tweedle said. “It is great to have a coach who has been to where you have been so often before. She’s raced in so many big championships herself that she can tell you about what it’s like. We have a great relationship that is very back and forth.”
Tweedle has now completed his final season of indoor track and field as a Marauder, but has chosen to return next fall for one semester in order to compete in cross country. For now he is staying focused on this summer’s outdoor season. The Canadian Track and Field Championships will take place July 3-9 in Ottawa, where he hopes to prove himself as one of the nation’s best young stars. Schnurr spoke highly of Tweedle’s dedication to the sport and believes he has the talent and disposition to compete at the very highest level one day.
“He’s one of those athletes that is so easy to coach,” Schnurr said. “He’s willing to do all the little things before and after practice, and based on his growth over the past three years I believe he possesses the qualities that will allow him to succeed in the championship races.”
By: Eamon Hillis
In distance running, perhaps more than any other sport, victory is not achieved by chance.
The sport has demonstrated time again that talent is a trifle, and that those who are able to remain steadfast in their training will inevitably rise to the top. On this year’s McMaster track roster, two athletes exemplify this idea: Jeff Tweedle and Kaitlyn Pansegrau.
Tweedle and Pansegrau are fifth-year seniors who specialize in middle-distance events (800m-1500m). In the first two meets of 2017 – Don Wright in London, ON, and John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston – both athletes performed exceptionally well, and positioned themselves to make this their best season of racing ever. Both noted that they feel fit considering how early it is in the season.
“I’m feeling good and training is going in the right direction,” Pansegrau said. “I hope it bodes well for things to come.”
Although Tweedle and Pansegrau’s recent successes may not appear particularly unique to the unknowing spectator, nothing about either athlete’s journey was preordained. Both grew up in the Hamilton area, Tweedle from Stoney Creek and Pansegrau from Dundas, and did not exhibit extraordinary talent as high school runners. Neither was recruited heavily by McMaster, and each made their decision to attend Mac for reasons unrelated to running.
“I wasn’t a great high school runner,” Tweedle said. “I was a middle of the pack guy, and I was never able to qualify for the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association finals. I came to Mac purely for the academics and the great community around campus. Athletics at university was never a guarantee for me. I never knew it would turn into anything.”
Tweedle has come a long way since those days. He currently holds the school record in the 1000m, earned a 2016 Ontario University Athletics bronze medal and has distinguished himself as one of the premier middle-distance runners in the country. His inspiring story is a testament to one of the unique truths of the sport; that for those who are diligent in their pursuit, consistent in their work ethic, and are able to apply themselves long-term, they will find themselves compensated justly for their labours.
Pansegrau understands the importance of this consistency also boasts a remarkably steady trend in improvement from year to year. Part of this consistency can be attributed to her careful attitude towards injury prevention, and her willingness to get treatment quickly when injuries do arise.
“Aside from minor tweaks, I thankfully haven’t had any major injuries that have put me back too much,” Pansegrau said. “Doing strength and rehab work, while staying on top of the little things right when they come up is something that I continue working at. I try to deal with them right away rather than letting them develop into something bigger.”
Both athletes also stressed another important element in their development – the addition of mileage over the years. For the elite runner, an increase in weekly mileage can quickly lead to an increase in fitness if executed properly. Tweedle logs upwards of 140 kilometres each week.
"I came to Mac purely for the academics and the great community around campus. Athletics at university was never a guarantee for me. I never knew it would turn into anything."
Jeff Tweede
Fifth-year student, McMaster track and field
“In my first three years I ran relatively low mileage,” Tweedle said. “But more recently, [head coach] Paula Schnurr and a few of my teammates helped me realize that I needed to be doing higher mileage. It has definitely been a huge turning point and has helped me realize that my body can handle it, if done properly.”
Unsurprisingly, Tweedle and Pansegrau were quick to mention the unconditional support of Schnurr and assistant coach Peter Self.
“I definitely have Pete and Paula to thank for my development here at Mac,” Pansegrau said. “Paula really likes to work with her athletes on an individual basis, and I am grateful for that.”
Pansegrau and Tweedle both competed in the 1000m at the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston on Jan. 27-28. Pansegrau ran a remarkable 2:52.85 for an eight second personal best, while Tweedle ran 2:22.81 to achieve early qualification into the U Sports championship March 9-11 in Edmonton, Alberta.
Both will be looking to finish their varsity track careers on a high, and are poised to make waves in the coming weeks.
By: Laura Sinclair
Victoria Coates is very familiar with CIS medals. In all of her years as a Marauder, she has six, with four of them being won for cross country, and two of them won for track. The 3000m is her specialty event, and on March 8, she proved that by winning the bronze medal in a showdown race that was all too familiar.
Coates finished in third place, no more than a couple seconds behind the first and second place finishers Andrea Seccafien and Carise Thompson of Guelph, who also came first and second respectively at the OUA Championships two weeks ago. The results of this CIS Track Championship in Edmonton played out the exact same way as the CIS Cross Country Championships did in November, and Coates wanted to carry the momentum from her amazing cross country season to the track.
As this CIS Championship meet was her last one as a Marauder, Coates wanted to have the perfect race, which can be hard at the big-time meets that are all about strategy. “My coach, Rory, had me very prepared for this race. We talked about every possible scenario so I knew exactly what I wanted to do depending on how the race was unfolding,” explained the senior. This race, in particular, started off as a jog compared to the speed that the fastest woman in the country are used to, so Victoria decided to take matters into her own hands. “I wanted to make sure that I was in control and that the race would play out to my strengths, so when the pace went out slow, I knew what I needed to do and I took the lead,” said Coates.
Coates led the race for a little over a kilometre before the pace started to quicken, and when that happened, she tucked into third and stayed there for the rest of the race, running to a time of 9:43, and finishing off her final season as a Marauder with yet another medal. “While I didn't run quite as fast as I had hoped, overall I think I had a great season that was topped off with running a personal best and picking up the bronze medal at CIs, so I couldn't be happier,” said Coates.
Although it is her final season wearing the maroon and grey, Coates says she is not done with running yet. “I’m looking forward to the outdoor track season where I will be running the 5000 m. There is also the possible opportunity to compete at the Canada Summer Games this year, so that will be something that I’ll have my eye on to qualify for.” As for school, Coates is currently looking at the University of Toronto, Queens, or Ryerson for their Urban Planning program, where she will compete for one of the lucky school’s teams for her final year of eligibility.
Despite the school switch, Coates will miss the McMaster University and the track team, and will always be a Marauder at heart. “I’ve had such an amazing experience with the best coaches and teammates that anyone could ever ask for, and I really can’t thank them enough,” confesses the bronze medalist.
Coates was not the only Marauder that scored the bronze medal this weekend. Scott Hutchinson, the powerful, and versatile sprinter, also came back with the bronze medal in the 300 m. He ran to a time of 34.34, in an exciting race that saw him just milliseconds away from second place. Hutchinson was very active in the CIS Championships, running a total of five races including the preliminary heats and relays. Hutchinson will be back as a Marauder next year, and hopes to do more on the track, with a new specialty event: the 600m.
Among other notable finishes for the McMaster track team, Rudy Baronnette finished eigthth overall in the 300m, just missing out on the final. He ran to a time of 35.24s.
The 4x200m saw the powerful team of Scott Hutchinson, Rudy Baronnette, Connor Mabbott, and Garrick Mok finish seventh overall.
Lastly, the 4x400m team made up of Scott Hutchinson, Rudy Baronnette, Connor Mabbott and Brandon Huzevka finished 12th overall.
Next on the schedule for the McMaster track team is a little break before starting to train again for the outdoor track season that begins in May.
