The final two days of the 2015 Canadian Track and Field Championships brought about 14 Championship medals for the Ottawa Lions and included seven Lions securing spots on Team Canada for the upcoming Pan American Junior Championships and IAAF World Championships in China this August.
Among the senior ranks, a club record four athletes secured their ticket to the Bird’s Nest in Beijing – highlighted by gold medal victories from throwers Sultana Frizell and Tim Nedow. Frizell secured her sixth Canadian title on her first throw Saturday night – 70.59m. The Perth native would extend her lead to 70.97m in the second round to win by more than four metres.
Like Frizell, Nedow was the class of the shot put competition, winning the competition on his first throw – 19.38m. However, in the fifth round, the Commonwealth bronze medalist would put the shot out to a club record 20.53m to confirm his third straight national title. Tim had previously set the club record earlier this season at the Kansas Relays with a throw of 20.51m.
Also securing her berth was Melissa Bishop by virtue of a silver medal in the 800m. Bishop, was looking for a three peat in the 800m, but was narrowly out kicked at the line by Fiona Benson of B.C. – 2:08.52 to 2:08.60. In the men’s 110m hurdle final, Sekou Kaba ran the race of his life, setting a new club record of 13.43 seconds to capture bronze in one of the strongest national finals in history. Kaba was ecstatic about the performance, taking to Twitter afterwards, saying, “As much as I hate to lose, I accept tonight’s L with great pride. PB, club record, World Champs standard and Olympic standard…..just wow!”
In the Junior Championships, both Matt Bedard and Claire Smith ran to victory on Sunday afternoon to secure their spots on Team Canada for the Pan Am Junior Championships. Bedard, who just finished his freshman year at North Dakota State University, stumbled over hurdle nine before regaining his stride and sprinting across the line in 52.74 seconds. Smith was a little more decisive in her victory, as she broke from the pack with less than three laps to go and ran to a comfortable victory in 9:49.87.
Rounding out the list of athletes to earn their spot on Team Canada was Erinn Stenman-Fahey, who qualified for the national junior team for the second year in a row after finishing second in the 800m. The future Iowa State Cyclone found herself in a one on one battle down the home stretch with future teammate Evelyne Guay, but Guay was able to sneak out the victory – 2:10.15 to 2:10.46.
Other medal winners from the Saturday and Sunday’s competition include:
Shanna Boutilier Para Ambulatory 200m – Gold
Josh Cassidy T54 5000m – Gold
Stuart McGregor Para Ambulatory 400m – Gold
Josh Cassidy T54 1500m – Silver
Larissa Brown Para Ambulatory 200m – Silver
Jon Dunkerley Para Ambulatory 200m – Bronze
