Originally published on runningmagazine.ca on November 27, 2023. Written by Marley Dickinson. View the original article
Toronto’s Eleanor Voykin, 15, has won at every level this fall. On Saturday, she took home her first Canadian junior title, beating runners two to three years older.
Last year, Voykin finished fourth in the same race at XC Nationals at 14. She has found success in being a dual-sport athlete, playing midfielder for Team Ontario’s U16 team in 2022. Her speed from soccer has translated well to cross country, as evidenced by winning her second consecutive provincial high-school XC title at the 2023 OFSAA Championships earlier this month.
Voykin has trained with Toronto’s Blue Devils Athletics Club for six years, with coaches Ben Devito and Tristan Markov. “I think she’s been successful because she’s having fun,” says Devito. “She trusts her talent, coaches and teammates.”
Her training has varied since she first joined the Blue Devils Athletic Club in 2018. Devito and Markov strongly believe in long-term development with their young athletes, aiming to guide them into college or university programs where they can flourish in the years ahead. “When Voykin joined the group, we had her playing a lot of games like Octopus and Capture The Flag with other athletes around her age to make running fun, without any pressure,” Devito says.
When she reached high school, Voykin moved up to the Blue Devils’ high school development group, running three to four times a week with a focus on sustainable training. She immediately saw a huge jump in performances, winning Ontario provincial titles in the 1,500m and in cross country.
Devito says Voykin likes to keep things light before a big race and is impressed she doesn’t let the pressure of winning get to her. “We always try to exchange a few catchphrases to get her smiling and in a good mood before a race,” he says. “Even this past weekend, she said she was more anxious than normal but all it took was a little joke to get her to do her thing.”
Voykin likes to front-run, as it’s where she feels most at ease and free, which was certainly the case during her recent title-winning race.
She has ambitions to stick with the sport and one day compete in the NCAA, but for now, she’s focused on what’s tangible in front of her: enjoying the sport so she can continue building on her success.