Katie Manor opened her outdoor season in statement fashion on Saturday, clocking 11.55 seconds to win the women’s 100 metres at the Ottawa Spring Kick Start and secure automatic qualification for this summer’s Canadian Championships. The time ranks her third nationally so far this year and marks a major breakthrough for the 21-year-old Ottawa Lion. The performance shattered her previous best of 11.87 and vaulted her into the club’s all-time ranks, tying her for fourth fastest in history alongside Olympians Esther Akinsulie and Lauren Gale.
Manor followed up the 100m win with another first-place finish in the 200m, clocking a wind-aided 25.09. Saturday’s meet marked her first appearance since an injury cut short her indoor season, which had shown early promise.
The club’s strength on the women’s side extended into the 400 metres, where Sydney Smith and Ellie McGregor went 1–2. Smith, the three-time defending Ontario 800 metre champion, took the win in 56.62, while McGregor—a Grade 10 student from Immaculata High School—ran a personal best of 57.36 to finish second.
Maria Okwechime picked up a win in the long jump, leaping to a wind-aided 5.57 metres, while Lions teammates Brianna Asiamah and Jessica Gyamfi resumed their indoor rivalry in the shot put circle. Asiamah came out on top this time with a best of 12.99m, narrowly edging Gyamfi’s 12.62m. Gyamfi went on to claim top honours in the discus with a near personal best of 41.03m.
In the javelin, defending national U16 champion Mallea McMullin opened her outdoor season with a winning throw of 32.80m.
On the men’s side, Safwan El Mansari delivered a commanding solo performance in the 800 metres, stopping the clock at 1:53.83. The University of Ottawa standout continued to show the form that led to a breakout rookie campaign indoors as he builds toward the Canadian Championships in July. Teammate Mouchine Aitounejjar was runner-up in 2:00.25.
Sebastian Cino made a breakthrough of his own in the 1500 metres, slicing nearly 12 seconds off his personal best to finish third in 4:01.81.
Rounding out the day’s top performances, Connor Fraser—the reigning national silver medalist—claimed victory in the men’s discus with a throw of 49.84m, the third-best mark of his career.
Full results from the competition are available on our website.
Photos can be found on Mundo Sport Images website.