After losing the junior crown in 2013 for just the first time in eight years, the Ottawa Lions came back with authority in 2014 – capturing their 10th Athletics Ontario Junior Team Championship in 12 years. Scoring 209 valuable team points over this past weekend, the Lions junior team more than doubled their nearest competitor – University of Toronto Track Club with 102 points.
Leading the under 20 team were Alexia Lamothe, Matt Bedard and Charifa Labarang who each collected individual gold. Lamothe contributed an astounding 36 points after winning the 100m hurdles in a personal best 14.07 and picking up a silver in the 400m hurdles in 1:00.46 – also a personal best. Lamothe was also a member of the gold medal winning 4x100m relay and silver medal winning 4x400m relay teams.
Bedard picked his first provincial 400m title on Saturday, using a late surge to take the win in a personal best 48.44 – just 0.02 seconds ahead of Khalil Parris of Border City Athletic Club. Matt looked on pace to make it a double with the 400m hurdles before falling over the eight barrier. However, he would recover to still pick up a bronxze. He also picked up two relay golds, running on the junior 4x400m team, and also stepping up to help the seniors in the 4x100m.
Labarang picked up the title of Ontario’s fastest junior woman, taking the 100m title in 12.26 seconds. The University of Ottawa student also part of the silver medal winning senior women’s 4x100m team.
In the senior category, the Lions lost the senior team championship for only the third time in 15 years, finishing in second behind the University of Toronto Track Club. The lone individual senior champion was Sekou Kaba in the 110m hurdles. His winning time of 13.68 seconds was also a new lifetime best.
