Approaching the end of its second week, the Ottawa Lions European Tour featured stops in Karlstad, Sweden and Castres, France today highlighted by a lifetime best performance by Farah Jacques in the 100m hurdles.
Jacques, who transitioned to the 100 metre hurdles earlier this year, took another step towards her goal of returning to the Olympic Games with a new lifetime best performance in France today. The Montreal native crossed the line in 13.31 seconds to finish third behind French nationals Franny Quenot and Rosvitha Okou. Jacques, who was third at nationals, had set her previous best of 13.36 seconds just over a month ago at the Speed River Inferno.
Also in France, Saj Alhaddad had a break through performance in the 400 metres placing second in his heat. Alhaddad, who is more accustomed to his one lap races having ten barriers to avoid, crossed the line today in 48.43 seconds – his fastest time in five years and the second best of his career.
After two bronzes in the long jump to start of the European Tour, Divya Biswal finally had the chance to return to her specialty, the triple jump, today in France. A third round leap of 12.64 metres was all the Canadian silver medalist could muster in the strong field, failing to register marks in all five of her other attempts.
In the Swedish town of Karlstad, a three and a half hour drive west of Stockholm, Madison Clarke and Sebastian Saville toed the line in the 800m. Clarke, who had set a personal best to open up the tour back on July 14 in Grootebroek, posted the third fastest time of her career, 2:08.22, as she finished fourth in the B final.
Saville didn’t manage to fare as well, finishing seventh in the C Final in 1:54.72. The Carleton University graduate had a clear lead through 600 metres, splitting 1:19, but tied up on the homestretch. Saville’s legs could be forgiven as this was his third 800 metre race in five nights and coming off the second best performance of his life Sunday where he finished in 1:49.04.
The tour continues Saturday night in Ninove, Belgium where Devyani and Divya Biswal, Farah Jacques, Sebastian Saville, Madison Clarke, Svetlana Martynova, Saj Alhaddad and Tim Nedow will all be in action at the Memorial Rasschaert Meeting.
