Following in the footsteps of the Olympic Games, the Ottawa Lions continued to demonstrate their excellence on the international stage, earning three medals at the recent World Masters Athletics Championship, held in Gothenburg, Sweden, from August 13 to 25.
Wendy Alexis, competing in the W65 category, led the charge, securing a gold medal in the 100 metres and a silver in the 200 metres. After a stellar season that included Canadian and Pan American titles, Wendy added a world title to her impressive list of achievements. She claimed the top spot in the 100 metres with a time of 14.46 seconds, narrowly missing her seasonal best of 14.44 seconds.
Wendy’s silver in the W65 200 metres was equally impressive. Battling a strong 2.9 m/s headwind, she clocked in at 30.81 seconds, one of her fastest times this season.
For context, Wendy’s performances equate to a remarkable 11.24 seconds in the 100 metres and 23.62 seconds in the 200 metres when adjusted for age, according to the WMA Age Grading Calculator.
Liz Maguire also made her mark, capturing silver in the W55 1500 metres. Her time of 5:01.80 was her second-fastest of the season and, when adjusted for age, equates to 4:04.46. Liz’s performance adds to the Ottawa Lions’ proud legacy of success on the global stage.
Michael Conway, competing in the M40 category, advanced to the semi-finals of the 400 metres, placing 20th overall. A double medalist at the recent Pan Am Masters Games, Conway also finished 22nd in the 800 metres with a time of 2:08.39.
Also competing in Gothenburg, Michel Smith placed 48th and 52nd, respectively, in the M55 100 and 200 metre events. Lawrence Williams, competing in the M50 200 and 400 metre events, placed 59th and 37th, respectively.