Shattered Records and Rising Stars: Lions Dominate 2024

In a year defined by excellence, the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club reasserted itself as a powerhouse in Canadian athletics. From the track to the field, both nationally and internationally, Lions athletes raised the bar in 2024 with 289 new all-time top-10 performances, including an astonishing 24 new Club records.

Lauren Gale set the tone early, electrifying the Dome @ Louis-Riel during the Ravens Last Chance Meet in February. The 24-year-old made history with a blazing 36.48-second performance in the 300 metres, shattering Ladonna Antoine’s 24-year-old Canadian record of 36.64. Gale’s achievement not only marked a personal best improvement of over half a second but also highlighted what was in store for the rest of 2024..

Her season crescendoed at the Royal City Inferno, where Gale achieved a new Club record of 50.47 seconds in the 400 metres, surpassing her previous mark by more than eight-tenths of a second and securing the Olympic standard. Finishing second to Olympic gold medalist Quanera Hayes, Gale’s performance was the fastest by a Canadian woman since 1992 and solidified her as one of the country’s premier sprinters.

For 16-year-old Jorai Oppong-Nketiah, 2024 was a breakout year. The Louis-Riel student set six Club records, with her crowning moment arriving at the Canadian U20 Championships. In the 100-metre semifinals, she stunned the crowd with an 11.38-second performance, obliterating the national U18 record, the Championship record, and the Club’s Open record all in one race. She followed up with gold in the final, clocking 11.39 seconds to cement her place among Canada’s brightest young stars.

Jorai also left her mark over shorter distances, recording a 7.61-second personal best in the 60 metres at the uOttawa Winter Classic, breaking the U18 Club record. Her stellar season concluded with another age class Club record of 23.90 seconds over 200 metres to win Canadian U18 gold, breaking a mark previously held by Lauren Gale.

Zachary Jeggo rewrote the U18 boys’ record book, excelling in the 400 metres and 400-metre hurdles. His season began by breaking Denray Jean-Jacques’ 2011 U18 400-metre record of 48.23 seconds, first with a 48.22-second effort and later with a remarkable 47.82 to claim OFSAA gold. He also broke Michael Robertson’s 300-metre record at Twilight #9, clocking 34.21 seconds.

At the Royal Canadian Legion Championships, Jeggo showcased his versatility with a 52.67-second victory in the 400-metre hurdles, setting a Championship record and narrowly missing the Canadian U18 mark. 

Jeggo was also part of a pair of record-breaking relay squads. Running with Jimmy Lu Langley, Jesse Costanzo, and Ange-Mathis Kramo the team posted a time of 42.03 seconds in the 4×100 metre relay to beat the previous mark of 42.56 set the year the majority of the team was born. In the 4×400 metres, Jeggo anchored the team of Ammiel Williams, Kyle London and Ange-Mathis Kramo as they smashed the previous Club best of 3:22.15 set at the 2023 Championships when they took silver in 3:19.07.

Distance athletes also delivered historic performances. Maddie Seaby capped her year with U20 and U23 Club records in the 5000 metres, running 16:22.39 at the BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener. This broke a 30-year-old mark set by Mary-Jane Richards. Stephen Evans lowered his own Club record in the 1000 metres with a 2:19.77 effort at La Classique d’Athlétisme Montreal, while Kevin Robertson shattered his 2000-metre steeplechase mark with a 5:29.27 finish, the second-fastest time in Canadian history.

In the hurdles, David Adeleye improved his U23 60-metre hurdles record to 7.83 seconds, earning USports silver along the way. In field events, 15-year-old Tahlia Aird-Greaves captured OFSAA gold with a 5.41-metre leap, breaking a decade-old long jump record.

Mason Brennan excelled in the U18 decathlon, breaking Tanner Van Every’s Club record twice, first with 5,399 points for silver at the Ontario Championships and later with 5,530 points for eighth at the Royal Canadian Legion Championships.

The youngest record-setters also impressed. Jake Claydon-St. John broke U14 records in the 1200 metres (3:39.93) and 2000 metres (6:33.68), while Kai Lebel set a new U14 800-metre record of 2:11.14.

Finally, on the roads, Salome Nyirarukundo showcased her dominance with a Club-record 16:20 in the 5K at La Clinique du Coureur in Quebec.

As we prepare to enter 2025, we take solace in knowing the future is bright for Lions athletes. The exceptional year that was 2024 will serve as a great spring board dust settles on an extraordinary season, the Ottawa Lions look ahead to an even brighter future. With established stars and rising talents redefining excellence, the Club is poised to set new standards for Canadian track and field.

As the curtain falls on an extraordinary year, the Ottawa Lions stand at the forefront of Canadian athletics, propelled by a blend of seasoned champions and emerging talents. With records shattered and milestones achieved, the Club has reaffirmed its culture of excellence. As we enter 2025, the stage is set for the Lions to reach even greater heights when the Canadian Track and Field Championships come to our home turf, inspiring athletes and fans alike.

For the full list of Top-10 Performances, see the table below: