Despite a new personal best and school record of 2.17 metres, it was clear University of Ottawa Gee-Gees high jumper Thomas Senechal-Becker was left yearning for gold following the OUA Championships. However, at the USports Championships in Saskatoon this past weekend the second year student got exactly what he was yearning for – a national title.
The road to the top of the podium did not go nearly as smoothly as originally envisioned as Senechal-Becker came down with what he believes was a severe stomach flu three days before Friday night’s high jump final. The ailment forced Senechal-Becker to alter his game day routines to conserve energy, and thankfully making first attempt clearances on all of his heights helped as he made it over 2.14 metres to take top spot. The performance ranks as his second best in a Gee-Gees uniform.
Garnering her first USports medal was Vanessa Lu Langley. The third year chemical engineering student at McGill University ran third leg on the Martlet’s 4×200 metre team as they finished second in a time of 1:41.47. It was the first nationals medal in the event for the Montreal based school
Elsewhere on the track, David Adeleye found himself just off the podium in the 60 metre hurdles. The third year student at the University of Toronto left a trail of barriers in his pathway as he finished fourth in a time of 8.18 seconds. Leewinchell Jean, competing for the Windsor Lancers, just missed out on a spot in the final – finishing 10th in a time of 8.33 seconds.
Competing in one of the most gruelling events of the weekend, Audrey Goddard placed seventh in the five event pentathlon with a score of 3458 points. The OUA Rookie of the Year was the highest finishing first year student in the event.
The weekend ended on a high note for Carleton’s Adam Nuraddeen in the triple jump. Qualifying by virtue of his victory at the RSEQ Championships, Nuraddeen entered Saturday’s event as the lowest seed with a best performance of 13.61 metres. However, the fourth year psychology student popped a massive 29 centimetre personal best to break the sand at 13.90 metres. The jump would push the Ravens record holder to a new school record and an eighth place finish in his first USports Championship.
Other results for Lions athletes from the weekend included:
Gillian Porter and Elizabeth Vroom (Queen’s) 4x800m – 9:11.40 9th
Katie Manor (uOttawa) 60m – 7.66 11th
David Moulongou, Fabrice Nonez,Thomas Kukla-Colby, Lucas Zanetti (uOttawa) 4x400m – 3:23.39 10th
Katie Manor, Doyin Ogunremi, Brooklyn McCormick, Kennedy Banton-Lindsay (uOttawa) 4x400m – 3:56.37 12th
For full results from the USports Championship, visit our results page.