Athletics Nova Scotia - Our Story: Ella Barry and Anthony Phillips
July 20, 2022
Both were our "Fastest Kids in NS" last year and are now named to our Nova Scotia Legion team, Ella for U16 High Jump and Anthony for U18 100m and High Jump.
How excited are you to make the team and what are you looking forward to the most?
Ella: I am extremely excited to be selected for the team and to represent Nova Scotia. I am looking forward to competing against many talented athletes and see how far I can push myself. I am excited to meet other athletes from my team and from all over the country and to make lots of new friends.
Anthony: I’m pretty excited to make the team, it’s been something I’ve been looking forward to for a few years now. I am looking forward to competing against the best track athletes in the country and also watching them as well. I’ll be excited to see how I compare against the rest of the country and it’ll push me to keep working harder.
It will have been almost one year since you both took part in the ‘Fastest Kid in Nova Scotia’ project last year, with both of you winning and claiming the titles of ‘Fastest Kids in Nova Scotia’. What kind of impact did it make for you as a track and field athlete since then?
Ella: The competition is actually what got me started training and competing in track and field. I had wanted to try track and field for a while and this was an opportunity to give it a try. I am so happy I did it. I love this sport!
Anthony: All summer long I had been competing well in various meets, winning "Nova Scotia’s fastest kid” was a nice confidence boost that all my hard work was paying off.
You are both members of Celtic Athletics. What does an average week look like for you and your club training during the summertime?
Ella: We train as a team 3x a week focusing on sprints and jumping. As well, I go to the track regularly to do some training on my own. I also train a few times a week for soccer and I find this helps support my track training.
Anthony: At Celtic we have 3 practices a week, we work on jumps and sprints, and I have fun hanging out with my friends.
What has been your most memorable moment/moments this year so far in the sport, besides being named to the Legion team?
Ella: I actually have 3 favorite moments so far this year. During my first meet in December I broke the U14 indoor 60m record. This past March I participated in the indoor nationals in St John and was very proud to win bronze. I loved school provincials as well because that is where I got to meet so many new people in track that I have already become friends with.
Anthony: Winning SSNS provincials was a huge highlight for me. I also met my goal of medaling in each event I entered for the school season this year.
In Track and Field (or even another sport), do you have any role models or favourite athletes that you look up to or keep up to date on?
Ella: Christine Sinclair. She represented team Canada at the olympics for soccer numerous times and was their captain. She kept competing until she won her gold medal. She never gave up.
Anthony: Usain Bolt, Andre De Grasse are both athletes I look up to and follow in track and field. They inspire me to work hard and get better.