As the torch inside Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium was lit Friday night, the latest set of Lions athletes to compete in the Olympic Games watched together with their track and field teammates at their pre-competition camp in Gifu, about 275 kilometres west of Tokyo.
The trio is comprised of Olympic veterans Melissa Bishop-Nriagu and Tim Nedow, as well as Olympic rookie Lauren Gale. The 21-year-old Gale becomes the 16th Lion to compete at the Olympics, following in the footsteps of Team Canada Head Coach Glenroy Gilbert who made his debut back at the 1988 Games in Seoul.
Gilbert was part of the original class of Lions Olympians back in Seoul when he competed in the long jump (7.61m – 22nd). He was joined in the South Korean capital by fellow Lions Hall of Famer and high jumper Brian Marshall (2.22m – 19th) as well as 10,000 metre runner John Halvorsen (28:29.21 – 16th), who competed for his native Norway. Four years later, Halvorsen (29:53.91 – 19th) would again join Gilbert (4x100m – DNF) in Barcelona.
At the 1996 Games in Atlanta, Gilbert would live out the Olympic dream of claiming gold as part of Canada’s 4×100 metre relay team (37.69 NR – 1st). If you’re wondering, we do indeed love “Saturday nights in Georgia”. Glenroy also placed 22nd in the 100m with a time of 10.28 seconds. He was not alone at these Games as he was joined by Lions record holders Steve Agar (3:43.02 – 37th) in the 1500 metres and Lesley Tashlin in the 100 metre hurdles (13.61 – 37th) and 4x100m relay (44.34 – 14th). Agar, also a member of the Lions Hall of Fame, was representing his native Dominica.
Gilbert’s final Games as an athlete was as a member of the 4×100 metre relay (38.92 – 11th) team in Sydney, while Hall of Famer Sean Kaley made his only Olympic appearance, running the 10,000 metres (28:36.07 – 39th).
At the 2004 Games in Athens, Richard Adu-Bobie was named to his first Olympic team after setting the Canadian U20 record for 100 metres at the Trials. He would serve as an alternate for the 4×100 metre relay team that placed 7th overall.
Adu-Bobie would again serve as an alternate on the relay squad at the 2008 Games in Beijing that would go on to place fifth. Adu-Bobie was joined in the Chinese capital by first time Olympian, Sultana Frizell in the hammer throw (65.44m – 33rd)
The London Games of 2012 featured a record five Lions, with Sultana Frizell returning in the hammer throw (67.45m – 22nd). Melissa Bishop-Nriagu made her debut at 800 metres (2:09.33 – 28tth) while Oluseyi Smith ran the second leg on Canada’s 4×100 metre relay team that crossed the finish line in third but was ultimately disqualified for a lane violation. Oluwasegun Makinde served as an alternate for the 4x100m relay team. Rounding out the contingent was Delphine Atangana, who contested the 100 metres (11.82 – 48th) for her native Cameroon.
The 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro equalled London for the largest contingent of Lions with five athletes. Melissa Bishop-Nriagu was 4th at 800 metres in a national record 1:57.02. A pair of Club record holders made their debut, Sekou Kaba in the 110 metre hurdles (13.70 – 28th) and Tim Nedow in the shot put (20.00m – 16th). Farah Jacques led off Canada’s 4×100 metre relay team (43.15 – 6th) and Oluwasegun Makinde was again an alternate on the men’s 4×100 relay team that would win bronze.
We look forward to the new Olympic memories this year’s trio will bring. Melissa Bishop-Nriagu kicks off the competition with heats of the 800 metres on the opening day of competition. Heats of the women’s 800 are schedule for 8:55pm eastern on July 29th. Tim Nedow will compete in shot put qualifying on August 3rd at 6:15 am eastern, while Lauren Gale and the women’s 4×400 metre relay team run in the heats on August 5th at 6:25 am eastern.
The Lions would also like to congratulate Club record holder Mike Woods on his fifth place finish in the cycling road race and wish best of luck to former Club members Alicia Brown (women’s 4x400m) and Alejandro Perlaza (400m and 4x400m) competing for his native Colombia.