Zachary Jeggo capped a historic high school career in style Saturday, leading Louis-Riel to a record-breaking day at the OFSAA Track and Field Championships and nearly toppling a Canadian interscholastic record that has stood since 1985.
The senior from Louis-Riel blazed to gold in the senior boys 400-metre hurdles, stopping the clock at 51.76 seconds—the second-fastest time ever run in Canadian high school history. The performance came within a hair of the 40-year-old OFSAA and Canadian Interscholastic record of 51.68, set by Lions alumnus Phillip Hughes. Jeggo’s victory also marked his third consecutive OFSAA title in the intermediate hurdles, having won the 300m hurdles as a junior and the 400m variant last season. His time now ranks No. 2 in club history among U20 athletes.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier’s Kyle London nearly joined him on the podium, finishing fourth in a personal best 53.35 seconds—his second lifetime best in as many days. The performance moved him to eighth on the club’s U20 all-time list.
Cova Earns Second Medal, McGregor Moves into Club Top 10
Not long after Jeggo’s triumph, fellow Louis-Riel senior Daniel Cova capped his own decorated high school career with a bronze medal in the senior boys 3000 metres. Cova clocked 8:22.54, the second-fastest time of his career, earning his third OFSAA medal overall after claiming cross country gold in the fall and 1500m bronze on Friday.
In the junior girls 800 metres, Ellie McGregor of Immaculata earned her second podium finish of the weekend. The Grade 10 standout ran a seasonal best 2:12.34 to take bronze in a tightly contested finish, edged out at the line by Indie Bennett of Adam Scott. McGregor’s time moves her to No. 10 on the club’s U18 all-time list.
Baetz Unleashes Clutch Throw for Gold
Parker Baetz of Holy Trinity saved his best for last in the junior boys javelin, unleashing a personal best of 54.13 metres in the fifth round to surge from sixth place to gold. The mark added over half a metre to the PB he set two weeks earlier at the OFSAA East Region Championships. Baetz’s win also completed a Lions sweep of the junior javelin, following Mallea McMullin’s gold on Friday.
Relay Gold Seals Team Title for Louis-Riel
In the final event of the championships, Louis-Riel’s open boys 4x400m relay squad delivered a thrilling finish. Led by Ayoub Shangai (48.8), Daniel Cova (51.5), and Zachary Jeggo (46.8), the three Lions roared to victory in 3:18.17, securing the first-ever OFSAA boys 4x400m relay title by an Ottawa-based school.
The win also clinched the senior boys team title for Louis-Riel—the first by a local school since Brookfield High School in 1979.
Final Day Highlights
- Eli Mordel of Sir Robert Borden cleared a personal best of 4.30m in the senior boys pole vault to finish fifth. His clearance moves him to sixth on the club’s U20 all-time list.
- Charlie Mortimer, a silver medallist in the steeplechase on Friday, came back to finish seventh in the 3000m, running six seconds faster than his previous best (8:34.00). His time now ranks fourth among club U18 athletes.
- Alexandra Harris, a standout in the novice girls division, placed fifth in the 3000m in 10:29.52, moving to ninth on the club’s U16 list.
A Strong Finish to a Stellar Weekend
In total, Lions athletes captured 13 medals over the three-day championship, closing the OFSAA season on a high. For many, including Jeggo, Cova, Grace Streek, Quinn Coughlin, and a host of graduating seniors, Saturday marked their final lap in high school competition.
The future, however, looks just as bright.