Ottawa – Athletics Canada today unveiled the list of athletes that will represent Canada in the USA versus the World portion the famed Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 27. Included among the 28 team members will be five members of the Ottawa Lions, headlined by Olympians Melissa Bishop and Oluwasegun Makinde.
Bishop, who became the third woman to break the two minute barrier in the 800m last season will team up with Canadian record holder Diane Cummins, Karine Belleau-Béliveau and Lemlem Ogbasilassie in the 4x800m where they will undoubtedly make a run at the Canadian record of 8:28.55.
Makinde will be a part of the 4x100m relay looking to qualify for this summer’s IAAF World Championships in Athletics taking place in Moscow. This will be Makinde’s third time being named to the Penn Relays team. He made his debut in 2011 where he ran the third leg against world record holder Usain Bolt.
Ottawa will be well represented in the 4x400m relay with three local runners being named to the pool of five athletes. The list includes Michael Robertson, a 4x400m finalist at the 2011 Panamerican Games, 2010 World Junior 4x400m team member Devin Biocchi and Gord Frenke. For Frenke, an engineering graduate of Queen’s University, this will be his first national team appearance. The designated alternate from the men’s 4x400m will run the 400m leg of the men’s distance medley relay team.
Two other athletes with ties to the Ottawa Lions include 4x100m team member Gavin Smellie who has been training in Ottawa under national team Glenroy Gilbert for the past three seasons. As well, long time club member Alicia Brown has been named to the women’s 4x400m relay team. This is the first national team appointment for the recently named University of Toronto Female Athlete of the Year.
USA versus the World Schedule
12:45pm ET Women’s 4x800m
1:35pm ET BMW Men’s 4x100m
2:05pm ET Men’s Distance Medley
2:35pm ET BMW Women’s 4x400m
2:52pm ET Nike Men’s 4x400m
For a complete Penn Relays schedule visit http://pennrelaysonline.com/Results/schedule.aspx.
