Jacob Houlton, Georgia Ellenwood, and their Langley Mustangs teammates will be defending home turf during this weekend's BC Summer Games.

Other Mustangs representing Zone 3 (Fraser Valley) include: Allison Geisbrecht in 200-metres and long jump; Taylor Neveu in high jump; James Hellner in race-walk and steeplechase; Eli Kastelein in 300m and 200m hurdles; Aiden Kits in 800m; Adam Marshall in 2,000m; and Ben Marshall in 200m hurdles and 100m hurdles.

They will be up against athletes from around the province on the Mustangs' home track, which is part of McLeod Athletic Park.

Houlton is coming off an impressive showing at the B.C. high school track and field championships at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby.

The Langley Fundamental Middle School student won gold in both the Grade 8/9 boys 400m and shotput at the June competition.

He has been looking forward to the Games for a long time.

"Ever since my friends went a few years ago," explained Houlton, entered in the 14/15 boys division. "Basically I'm looking forward to all of the events."

Houlton's "Games" plan: to put 100 per cent effort into all his events which include the 300m, high jump, and shotput.

"Obviously, I would like to do the best that I can," he said. "I would like to come away with PBs [personal bests] in all of my events and any medals would be a bonus."

Ellenwood's season has been a stellar one.

She started it off this past February with gold medals in the 60m dash and high jump at the B.C. indoor track and field championships in Kamloops.

Also in February, Ellenwood competed at the University of Washington open indoor meet, where she captured silver in high jump competing against university women.

Later, once again going up against university women, she won gold in high jump at a Simon Fraser University open meet.

As a Grade 9 (she will turn 15 next month), Ellenwood became the youngest gold medalist at the senior girls B.C. high school heptathlon championships. Her score would have qualified her for the B.C. team at the junior national championships, but she is too young.

Then, at the B.C. high school track and field championships, she captured a gold medal in senior girls long jump, to go along with silver medals in the senior girls 100m hurdles and high jump.

Ellenwood also made B.C. team standards for the upcoming national championships in Ottawa.

At the Summer Games Zone 3 trials June 9 in South Surrey, Ellenwood qualified first in the 200m hurdles, long jump, and high jump. She will also be a member of Zone 3's 4 x 400m relay team.

So, with this year's track record in mind, Ellenwood is a legitimate medal contender at the Games.

"I've been thinking about the Summer Games for a long time - since the beginning of the year," Ellenwood said.

So what does she do for an encore? A medal, or maybe more, on home soil would do the trick. Ellenwood's goal is to achieve personal bests, and hopefully medals will fall into place.

"I want to get PBs [personal bests]," she said. "If I get a medal and a PB it's a bonus, for sure."

Competing at MAP adds a little extra pressure on Ellenwood.

"This is a track I practise on every day, and I should be comfortable with it, so I have high expectations," she said.

tlandreville@langleyadvance.com