Arthur Buchanan will be representing the University of Manitoba at the 2012 CIS Track and Field Championships being hosted at the U of M’s Max Bell Field House. At the 2012 Canada West Championships, Buchanan jumped 1.96m over the high jump bar for the Bisons men’s track and field team and earned a silver medal. The Manitoban had an opportunity to speak with Buchanan during another track and field event, the 2012 Boeing Track and Field Classic.

 

The Manitoban: 

Tell us about yourself.

 

Arthur Buchanan: I’m originally a pentathlete, but I didn’t qualify for CIS in pentathlon. I did qualify in high jump at Western.

 

M: Tell me about the Bisons and their strengths and weaknesses.  

 

AB: We’re a very large team and have a lot of really good athletes and I think this year is more of a building year. We don’t have a lot of athletes heading into CIS. We have a lot of really good veterans right now; will be sad to lose them, but we also have a lot of young people coming in, who will help us out; it’s a young team.

 

M: Who is your favourite athlete?  

 

AB: Stefan Holmes. I love him. He’s just a great high jumper. He goes past the limit, even though he’s not even taller. He just got a really good technique and he is really driven from what I’ve seen on documentaries.

 

M: Do you participate in any outdoor activities?

 

 AB: I love camping. After my degree, I want to get into some sort of outdoor recreation.

 

M: Something like Outward Bound?

 

 AB: Actually, there is a program I did with the Canadian Mennonite University called Out of Town. It is an adventure discipleship program where you do a lot of adventure/group stuff and discipleship works in the inner-city.

 

M: You’re Christian?

 

 AB: Yup, I’m Christian. I took a year off after right after high school to learn about God and my faith, and it has been helping me through my university career.