Thursday night at the Canadian Track and Field Championships has become synonymous with distance running events since the creation of “Distance Night” when Ottawa hosted the 2018 event. Featuring an array of steeplechase and 5000 metre races, two Lions athletes made a notable impact by bringing home gold and silver medals.
In her first competitive race in nearly two months, Maddie Seaby displayed no signs of rust as she dominated the U20 women’s 5000 metre race from start to finish. Despite battling swirling winds, Seaby took the lead from the start and never relinquished it, winning with a time of 17 minutes and 10.45 seconds.
“It’s a little surreal,” Seaby said of her first U20 Canadian Championship title. “I’m still taking it in.”
Seaby had a breakout season in her first year at the University of Louisville, posting the seventh fastest U20 time in Club history for 3000 metres (9:42.33) and the fourth fastest for 5000 metres (16:35.43).
With her gold medal, Seaby becomes only the third Lion to win a national U20 title over 5000 metres, and the first woman. She joins an elite list that includes Michael Woods, who was recently named to his third Canadian Olympic Team in cycling, and Sean Kaley, a member of Canada’s 2000 Olympic Team, whose senior championship record over 5000 metres was bested by Mohammed Ahmed last night.
Kevin Robertson upgraded from a bronze medal last year to silver in the 3000 metre steeplechase last night, finishing in 8 minutes and 37.91 seconds after a speedy final lap. The recent Syracuse University graduate produced the fastest final lap of the evening, closing in 64 seconds to surge from fifth at the bell to second place.
Thursday night’s medal is Robertson’s second in the steeplechase at the Centre Sportif Claude-Robillard, following his win in the U20 event at the 2019 national championships. With his complete set of Canadian Championship medals, he now ties with Danelle Woods for the Club lead in national championship steeplechase medals.
In the U20 men’s 3000 metre steeplechase, Derek Strachan placed ninth overall with a personal best time of 9:41.11.
With a massive lifetime best in the U20 men’s 5000 metres, Noah Smith ran 15:29.75 to finish 17th. Smith’s previous best had been 15:50.91 set earlier this season.
Salome Nyirarukundo finished 23rd in the senior men’s 5000 metres, recording a seasonal best time of 16:38.07.
Off the track, Olivia Merritt finished seventh in the senior women’s javelin throw. Competing in her first national championship, the 33-year-old produced a best throw of 42.26 metres.