Focus. It’s one word to describe the transformation that’s been on display in Stephen Evans’ running this season. A year removed from a disappointing exit in the 800 metre preliminaries at the Canadian Championships, Evans attacked the 2023 season with a focus not seen in the 11 years he has run with the Lions.
Saturday evening Evans was rewarded for his focus as he became the first male in Club history ever to win a medal over 800 metres at the Canadian Track and Field Championships.
In one of the most exciting finals of the Championship, Evans produced a kick for the ages to finish third across the line. Sitting back in sixth place as the runners entered the final homestretch, the former USports Champion began running down the field one by one culminating in an eye popping clocking of 1 minute and 47.02 seconds.
Stephen’s time from Saturday’s final also bettered his two week old Club 800 metre record.
Also finding their way to the podium Saturday evening was 21-year-old David Adeleye who ran his way to a third place finish in the men’s 110 metre hurdles. It was no clear path for Adeleye, who not only had to battle the 10 barriers in his own lane, but also narrowly avoided an errant hurdle from the lane next to him that had been hit by Olympic decathlon champion Damian Warner.
Unscathed, Adeleye made it across the line in 13.98 seconds. It was the third fastest performance of the University of Toronto student’s career.
Staying in the hurdles, Keira Christie-Galloway finished in the top five of the women’s 100 metre hurdles. Christie-Galloway was clocked in a windy 13.30 seconds.
Lizzy Vroom followed her silver medal performance in the steeplechase with an eighth place finish in Saturday’s U20 1500 metre final. Vroom was eighth across the finish line, stopping the clock at 4 minutes and 33.79 seconds – nearly two seconds under her previous best.
Finishing the evening off on the track, Sydney Smith finished seventh at 800 metres in her first national final. The 26-year-old Smith finished the two laps event in a time of 2 minutes and 6.13 seconds.