A late addition to the Toronto International Track and Field Games start list last night, 1500m runner Adam Palamar certainly made it clear to organizers he deserved to be in the field of top level runners, including multiple Olympians. Palamar, who just recently finished his first season the University of Tulsa, looked comfortable running with the big boys as he sped to a new lifetime best of 3:41.34 and a second place finish. The Merivale High School grad was the top Canadian in the field, defeating defending national champion and two time Olympian Nate Brannen. With his third PB in as many months, Palamar has dropped just over 10 seconds off his best time, with Tuesday’s effort moving him to seventh on the club’s all-time list. His time also set a new 1500m junior standard for the club, dipping a mere 0.09 seconds below Mike Woods’ mark set while winning the 2005 Panamerican Junior title.
For Melissa Bishop, Tuesday’s 800m tour of Varsity Stadium was another race, and another World Championship B standard. Patiently biding her time through 600m, Bishop found another gear with 200m to go before speeding past British national, Marilyn Okoro in the final 100m, crossing the line in 2:00.84. With the time, Melissa is currently the top ranked Canadian female over 800m, but will undoubtedly be searching for a sub two minute performance at the Canadian Championships next weekend in Moncton to punch her ticket for this summer’s World Championships in Moscow.
Other medal winners at the second stop of the National Track League schedule included hurdler Sekou Kaba who finished second behind decathlete Damian Warner of London in a season’s best 13.94 seconds and hammer thrower Sultana Frizell who finished third with a toss of 69.29m. Like Bishop, Frizell is also the top ranked Canadian heading into nationals and will be looking for the elusive 72m throw in Moncton to secure her spot in Moncton.
