UPEI Cross Country adds Canada Games standout Ryan MacDonald
Fresh off an impressive showcase at the 2022 Canada Summer Games, first-year biology student Ryan MacDonald is preparing to make a similar impression with the UPEI Cross Country team.
MacDonald began running in June 2020 when he decided to train for a triathlon.
"That door may never have been opened if it weren't for the COVID-19 pandemic," MacDonald explained. The 18-year-old grew up playing hockey (AA and AAA levels) and premier-level soccer, but when the pandemic shut down all team sports, he needed to find an outlet for activity.
"Because the team sports I was involved in were suspended, I started running as part of triathlon training with the goal of qualifying for Canada Games," he added.
Fast forward to the Games, where MacDonald posted strong running times. In the Triathlon Sprint, MacDonald finished the 5 km run with the twelfth fastest time at 18:09. He followed that up three days later with a run time of 5:17 (ninth best) in the 1.7 km portion of the Triathlon Super Sprint.
After enjoying this recent success, MacDonald believes he has what it takes to be one of UPEI's stronger runners and is excited to train with teammates for the first time.
"Having done the majority of my run training alone over the last two years, I'm looking forward to training in a team atmosphere," he said. "I will bring a high level of dedication and hard work to the team and hope to make a valuable contribution."
Panthers head coach Mike Peterson said he's excited to see his newest recruit develop as a Panther, knowing already how far he's come in a short amount of time.
"He has shown steady improvement over the last couple of years, especially in the last six months. And that's just the beginning," said Peterson. "I see him as having the opportunity to walk right in and claim a spot in our top five. His real upside though, is that he has long-term potential. I'm excited to see just how high his ceiling is."