Yukon native Jessica Frotten captured four gold medals at the Bell Canadian Track and Field Championships, which were held June 22-26 in Langley, B.C.

On Thursday, Frotten, racing for Cyclones Athletics, started off by winning the 100 Metre Dash Para Wheelchair race in 18.61, edging out Nandini Sharma, who finished in 18.95.

Later Thursday, Frotten triumphed over Sharma a second time, finishing the 800 Metre Run Para Wheelchair race in 2:06.48. Sharma finished in 2:07.40.

Friday, Frotten won the 400 Metre Run Para Wheelchair race in 1:02.04, again beating Sharma, who finished in 1:05.46.

Later on Friday, Frotten beat Sharma a fourth time, this time in the 1500 Metre Run Para Wheelchair race, winning in a time of 3:58.15. Sharma finished in 4:09.23.

The Star reached the phenomenal wheelchair athlete back in Regina on Monday and asked her how she felt about her medal haul.

“It’s awesome. Not all the competititors were there. There was a few that were sick or whatever so not all the fields were full but it was still some good competition.”

Despite Sharma being her main competition, Frotten said they don’t really have a rivalry.

“Oh, no, we’re besties. I’m a T53 class and she’s a T54 class, so she’ll always have more function than me and my racer, for sure.”

Frotten wasn’t sure if her four gold medals were a first or not.

“I don’t know if it’s ever been done before. I know Alex (Dupont), on the male side, he won all his events as well.

“We haven’t had nationals in two years now because of COVID and everything and it was just so great to be out there, back on the track and seeing a lot of faces I haven’t seen in a whole long time.

“The track was slow. It was a brand-new track, so it was quite squishy, so the times weren’t super-fast but I really feel like I put together some great races.”

Frotten described how the races went down.

“I usually don’t race the 100, so I just kind of put that on the schedule because I’ve been dealing with a few different injuries this season and I had to pull out of our Switzerland series, so I really haven’t raced since Tokyo, so I thought the 100 would be a good warmup and I just used it as that. I definitely had some kinks, first starting off but I smoothed them out as the meet went on.

“The 800 was much better. I feel like I finished that race really strongly. I didn’t start it out very strong but I was definitely able to finish it strong.

“And the 400 was – it was probably my best race of the series and the 1500, Nan and I were kind of trading off on the pulls for the draft so I did the first lap, she did the second lap and then I finished off the last one and three quarters.

“I’m getting ready for Commonwealth and the 1500 is the race at Commonwealth, so it’s good to have some practice with the drafting.”

Frotten will be racing with Sharma in the 1500 at the Commonwealth Games.

“The 1500 and up in para athletics, the 53’s and 54’s are a combined class. So you’ll race together in the 15(00), the 5(000) and the marathons and any other kind of road races – 10 kms or ...”

So will she be riding a wave of confidence going into them?

“Let’s not get carried away but it definitely helps a little bit, for sure,” said Frotten.

“I’m really looking at these games as a do-over from the last Commonwealth Games when I had that crash, so just as long as I keep three wheels on the track, I’m gonna be a happy camper.”

Frotten agreed that the first goal of the race for her is to finish after a horrific crash at the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018 left her badly injured. To recap, a racer on her left failed to turn and ran straight into Frotten, literally knocking her out of the race.

“Yes, it is (the goal),” said Frotten.

“But I think it’s all gonna be really, really, great. This season I’ve been working with a really solid team and built some good supports around me, so I’m feeling really good about it.”

Frotten said she was feeling better after running these races following a long break since Tokyo.

“Yeah, it was just such an unknown. I just – I had no idea, really, what I was going to do, so I’m happy I was able to do as well as I did.”

Frotten added “It all went according to plan and felt great.”

She said she doesn’t have any major physical issues going into the Games.

“No, not really. I’m still dealing with a bit of a hip issue but I’ve just been modified training and it seems to be working. After the Games, I’m going to take a solid break and really heal up.”

The Commonwealth Games are coming up pretty quickly.

“We leave at the end of July,” said Frotten.

“I think we leave on the 25th ... but my event’s on the 6th.”

The Games are scheduled for Birmingham, England July 28 to Aug. 8.