Tachinski Takes Title in Tennessee

Published On: June 9, 2016

Nashville, TN – Winnipeg’s Victoria Tachinski surprised crowds at the Music City Distance Carnival on Saturday by winning the Invitational 800-metre with a record-breaking time of 2:03.58. Her time is a new Canadian Youth record, replacing Carly Paracholski’s previous 2:05.88.

The 16-year-old high school student was not expected to win in Nashville, according to coach Andy Tough. “It was a stacked field. She didn’t have to do the work [of pace-setting] and there was no pressure.”

“Going into the race, I had already achieved standard for World Juniors,” Tachinski noted, “So I felt very little pressure compared to usual. I was confident in myself and my training that I would be able to preform in the moment.”

Despite feeling calm and prepared, the athlete said her end result was unanticipated. “Crossing the finish line, I was initially shocked when I looked over to the clock. I did not expect that time or my performance,” she said. “In training, we had been working toward 2:05 or 2:04,” said Tough, “but 2:03 was a bit of a surprise.”

Understandably, Tachinski felt the overall experience was exceptional. “I was very lucky to have been in that race. It was a very competitive field and atmosphere, so I was able to grow and learn. I was up against professionals, and it was a new experience to watch them prepare for a race and warm up. The environment allowed me to excel and run the best that I ever have.”

Donna Harris of Athletics Manitoba praised Tachinski, saying, “Victoria is an incredible athlete and 2:03.58 is an unbelievable time. We will follow Victoria’s outdoor season closely, there are likely more great performances to come. Andy Tough has done a great job managing Victoria’s development.”

Next up for the young athlete are high school provincials this weekend, followed by New Balance Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina June 17-19. At the end of the month, Athletics Canada will announce its World Junior Team members who will travel to Poland, and Tachinski said she is eagerly awaiting the team announcement. Her coach noted, “At the beginning of the season we set a goal to make World Juniors. And while nothing is official, it’s now looking like the new goal will be to reach finals.”

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About Athletics Manitoba:

Athletics Manitoba is a not for profit, volunteer-based organization that has been promotes all elements of Athletics in Manitoba. Working with a diverse membership of athletes, coaches and officials, the Athletics Manitoba’s purpose is to promote performance excellence, the long-term development of athletics and sport for life in Manitoba.

About CSCM: 

The Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba (CSCM) was created as one of the many legacies of the 1999 Pan American Games held in Winnipeg. Today, CSCM is the hub for high performance sport in Manitoba. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network, CSCM works to provide a world-class, multi-sport daily training environment for athletes and coaches through integrated services and programs in the fields of physiology, strength and conditioning, nutrition, psychology and support services.

For more information, contact:

Jeff Powell
General Manager, Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba
Direct Line: 204.474.7148 | Email: media@cscm.ca