Ben Forestell of Huntsville has a dream of being in the Olympics running mid- or long-distance events. He is setting his sights on the next summer games in Tokyo in 2020.
Forestell got a taste of what it would be like when he recently qualified for the semifinals at the Canadian Olympic trials in Edmonton. He finished third in the qualifying race.
“It was my best performance and it was in a fast heat,” he said from Montreal where he is in his third year at McGill University. “It was always my goal to qualify for the semifinals and compete against the top runners, Olympians and professional high-level athletes. I accomplished that goal and was really excited after that. I had to race the next day in the semifinals. I got caught up in the awe of who I was competing against. I didn’t realize I could compete with them. I was more of a spectator than a participant and I learned from that.”
Forestell finished 10th out of 12 runners in the semi finals. He said he was well back and more or less threw in the towel the last 600 metres of the 1500 metre event and enjoyed the experience.
That experience and other successes over the last year has whet his appetite to dream big.
“I have improved 13 seconds in the last year and I need to knock off another nine seconds to qualify for FISU Universiade in 2019,” he said. “I want to run at the competitive level until the next Olympics.”
I wouldn’t put any limitations on Ben. When he puts his mind to it, he’s had nothing but success here in Montreal. He has the potential to be in the top five in what distance he chooses. He has the drive and determination. He will have to put in the work, week after week, but he has that commitment.Coach Jim McDannald describing Ben Forestell
Huntsville track coach Pierre Mikhail was also an influential mentor who helped jump-start Ben’s track career.
He convinced Forestell he could make the cross-country running team. It meant extra commitment as he was already playing soccer, skiing on the cross country team and playing basketball. He joined in his final year in high school and the team went on to win the GBSSA cross-country championship for the first time in 12 years. That spring he ran the 800 metre race and qualified for OFSSA and got to see what high-level track looked like.
He was hooked.
Ben called McGill University and told them he was interested in a track-team tryout. He entered the Immunology program in the fall of 2013 and for the first time he was committed 100 per cent to running.
“Because I was inexperienced and training was tough I had some pretty bad injuries at McGill,” he said. “Shin splints forced me to miss half of the first year. I had some problems with my knees. Jim (the coach) was always optimistic I would be back. It was tough but I am glad I persevered.”
“This past indoor track season I stayed healthy and improved personal best times in every track event; the 1500, 1000 and 800 metres. I was also a member of the McGill 4 X 800 relay team.”
It’s not going to be easy.
Balancing his education and pursuing track at its highest level is going to be tough. Forestell says that both med school and running at that level will require a lot more work on his part.
“For him the challenge is going to be balancing his student and athlete goals,” said Mikhail. “We are really proud he’s from Huntsville and that we had the pleasure of coaching him that one year in grade 12.”
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