While some people celebrated Canada Day down on Parliament Hill or in their local community with friends and neighbours, a small pride of Lions gathered in Kanata to toe the line at the Canada Day Road Races. The Run Ottawa event featured races of 1, 5 and 10 kilometres, the later of which was swept by Lion athletes.
Much like they did two weeks ago at the Lululemon 10K in Toronto, the pair of Jean Marie Vianney-Uwajeneza and Salome Nyirarukundo both came away with victories even if their margins of victory were a little narrower. Uwajeneza took the men’s title in 30 minutes and 48.8 seconds. He narrowly edged out Lion Alum, Yves Sikubawbo who finished two tenths behind for silver.
Nic Roberts, coming off a 5000m PB on the track the previous weekend rounded out the medal podium for the men as he crossed the line in 32 minutes and 45.6 seconds.
The women’s side saw Salome Nyirarukundo bring her road race victories to six so far in 2019 as she took top spot. Much like her compatriot Uwajeneza, the 2016 Olympian was in a fierce battle for the victory, narrowly edging out the competition by two tenths of a second to win in 36 minutes and 19.3 seconds.
Over 5 kilometres, the top Lion was Jay Sneddon who placed fourth in the men’s event. Sneddon’s time of 16 minutes and 38.8 seconds left him just 11.5 seconds off the podium.
Also on Monday, Joe Fast posted a new lifetime best over 1500 metres enroute to a fifth place finish at the Hamilton Canada Day Twilight. The Ridgmont High School student ran a scorching 3 minutes and 52.45 seconds, taking nearly three seconds off his best set two weeks prior at the 1500m Night in London. Monday’s time also moves Fast into number one in the national rankings for U18 boys.
