While the world has been focused on a particular multi-sport event in France, a future generation of stars was gaining their own Games experience in London. Three Ottawa Lions athletes represented “The Valley” region at the Ontario Summer Games this weekend, capturing six medals in the process.
A week removed from producing the second-best U16 high jump performance in Club history, Maxime Cazabon found another gear to take the top spot in the U16 category high jump in London. Cazabon’s winning jump of 1.85 meters added a centimeter to his week-old lifetime best and put him 12 centimeters clear of the rest of the Games field.
In addition to his jumping exploits, Cazabon showed he was a speedster to be reckoned with. The soon-to-be high school student set new personal bests at 100 and 200 meters, but it was the 300 meters where he again reached the medal podium. A clocking of 37.36 seconds secured a bronze for Cazabon—just a tenth off his lifetime best.
Maxime rounded out his three-medal haul by running lead-off on The Valley’s bronze medal sprint medley relay team.
A relative newcomer to the sport, Olivia Schuler captured a trio of bronze medals in London. The T34 competitor, one of three classifications for athletes with cerebral palsy, won bronze medals in each of the wheelchair 100, 200, and 400 meters.
Capturing the final medal was Hudson Kennedy, who took second place in the U16 javelin. Kennedy produced a best throw of 44.90 meters, leaving him three meters off the top rung of the podium.
The Ontario Summer Games provided an excellent platform for these young athletes to exhibit their skills and hard work. The Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club is proud of the achievements of Maxime Cazabon, Olivia Schuler, and Hudson Kennedy, who continue to inspire with their dedication and performances.
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