Hadley Claims Fourth Canadian Scottish Heavy Events Championship at the 145th Antigonish Highland Games
Aleisha Laureijs, July 20th, 2008
ANTIGONISH, N.S. - The Canadian Scottish Heavy Events hosted at this year's 145th anniversary of the Antigonish Highland Games wrapped up Sunday at Columbus Field with local competitor Greg Hadley claiming the Canadian Championship. A large crowd remained at the field after the ceremony with many lining up to congratulate the local favorite on his fourth consecutive championship.
A smiling Hadley was happy to explain the events he needed to master to capture the large trophy beside him.
“It goes to the top aggregate competitor in the seven traditional events of the Highland Games,” he said. “The events are the stone throw, the 28 and the 58 pound weight for distance, the sixteen and 22 lb hammer, the caber toss, and the 56 pound weight for height.”
The trophy is sanctioned by the Canadian Scottish Athletic Federation, the organization that oversaw the Highland Games Heavy Events.
Despite his youth, Hadley has had lots of experience in competition. “This is actually my 12th season competing in the Scottish Highland Games,” he said.
“I started right here in Antigonish when I was 13 years old in the Junior program. I'm 25 now, so hopefully I’ll be competing for many more years to come,” he added with a smile.
Although he has seen his fair share of Highland Games weekends, this year's event stands out in his mind as an exceptional one.
“This is one of the best highland games I've been to,” he said without hesitation. “My father Rod was the head of the organizing committee here, and he just put in hours and hours of work into the competition, and it went off without a hitch.”
“Everyone is just beaming from the hospitality and the level of competition,” Hadley said happily. “It was the tightest Canadian championship there’s ever been. It was a matter of points to crown the champion.”
The end of the Heavy Events marked the winding down of this year's Highland Games. A final massed pipe band performance and a family Ceilidh finished up the weekend’s events.
