Laura Affeld: A Versatile Talent

Like most young runners, 15-year-old Laura Affeld sacrifices teen rituals of sleepovers and weekends at the mall to log miles and train for meets. But while most of her teammates are busy enough with running, Affeld’s schedule is packed with other sports, from water polo and volleyball to soccer and swimming. And this athlete doesn’t just find the time to practice and compete – Affeld is a top contender at every activity she takes on. 

A member of the Edmonton Harriers track team since she was ten, Affeld competes in pentathlon, high jump, team relays, cross country and the 800m, 400m and 1,500m events. According to coach Phil Booth, Laura’s running isn’t hindered by her other athletic pursuits: “She plays just about every sport you can think of, but when she gets out there to race, she really gives it her all.” 

The busy routine is nothing new for Affeld, who says she grew up “playing tag-a-long” as her older brother and sister competed in triathlons. Casual childhood athletics quickly proved that Affeld had serious talent, and her competitive running career started strong, with a gold medal in the 800m race at the Hershey track and field finals in Pennsylvania earning her the title of “fastest 12-year-old in North America.” 

Three years later, Affeld is still on top. Last summer she savored success at both the Junior National and the Royal Canadian Legion track & field meets. Despite competing against athletes up to four years her senior, Affeld placed fifth in the 400m and 800m races at Nationals. She was unstoppable at the Legion meet, winning the 400m, 800m and 300m hurdles, and being named Athletics Alberta’s female midget athlete of the year.

Affeld hopes to qualify for the World Junior and World Youth meets in 2009, and Booth is confident that her natural talent will allow for less intense training to accommodate Affeld’s schedule. “We don’t always see very much of her, maybe two days a week during the school year. Laura truly is an athlete who works extremely hard and is herself almost totally responsible for the success she has had.”

Booth might be seeing more of Affeld in the months to come, as she hopes to cut down on other pursuits to focus on running. “As I’m getting older, competition is reaching a higher level,” she says. “I’ll have to narrow in, and my running is top priority.” Already, she plans to give up summer basketball league to spend more time on the track.  

Although sports take up most of her time six days a week, Affeld devotes Sundays to homework, and scores top marks at Memorial Composite High School in Stony Plain, Alberta. She even squeezes in a few road races each year – most notably returning to the St. Paul Rodeo Mile every September, where she has taken home first prize three years in a row. 

With five more years to run at the junior level, there’s no doubt that Affeld will remain a force to be reckoned with. Still, this versatile athlete says she’ll only race as long as she enjoys it. “No matter what sport, I compete because of the people I meet, and because I have fun with it. I want to keep running for sure – I just wish I had more time to do everything.”

Katie Drummond, a native of Calgary, is the editor-in-chief of heractivelife.com.