Distance runner Darci Petersen will be heading to St. Francis Xavier (StFX) University this fall after accepting a scholarship in track & field/cross-country.

With a short, but solid high school distance running career, Petersen, 17, has been pursued by universities since grade 10 and signed with StFX on Thursday.

In the end, she said it came down to choosing between StFX and Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. 

"I had to make the choice between running NCAA or USports, but the atmosphere and the coaching at StFX was a better fit for me," says Petersen.

Three-time Olympian and Canadian marathon champion Eric Gillis is the head coach of the StFX cross country and track programs.

She'll be running 1,500m, 3,000m, and 2,000m steeplechase.

Petersen leaves St. Timothy High School as the holder and co-holder of three track records. In grade 10, she set the records for the 1,500m, 3,000m, and as a member of the school's 4x100m team.

That same year she won three city championships and two ASAA provincial championship medals.

In junior high, she won the city championship every year by a sizeable distance, says St. Tim's track coach Travis Cummings.

In grade 11, Petersen placed fifth in the last high school cross-country provincials. Since then, COVID-19 has derailed high school competitions.

"She has three school records and she only had one year of high school track, so that's significant," says Cummings. "I think she would have had more records if we were able to compete but it just wasn't in the cards, unfortunately."

"I've coached her since grade 6 and she's been a great athlete the whole time."

In the 2018 Alberta Summer Games, she won silver in the 15 and under 2,000m race, placed fourth in the 1,200m, was sixth in the 800m, and anchored Zone 2's distance medley relay team.

Petersen has also been training with Calgary Track and Field (CalTaf) since grade 10.

During the peak of the pandemic, she continued to run solo and participated in virtual workouts. She fractured her foot during that time but it has since healed.

Petersen has since returned to the track to train with CalTaf. Current COVID-19 health regulations allow groups of up to 10 people to train together.

Petersen says she will continue to train with the track club until reporting to camp in Antigonish, N.S. at the end of August. No races are currently scheduled for the summer so far, but if they are, she plans to enter.

Petersen has been attracted to distance running since a young age. It's not unusual to see a smile crest her face when she competes.

"There's something about doing the long-distance races that I just love. I feel so free when I do it, like, there's not a worry in the world."