The Canadian Track and Field Championships presented by Bell got underway Thursday at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, and the hometown Lions wasted little time making their mark with a flurry of personal bests and semifinal qualifications across the board.
Headlining the day was Jaime Tapa, who sprinted to a personal best of 10.81 seconds in the U20 men’s 100 metres, securing his spot in Friday’s semifinal. The time marks the 16th fastest in club history, continuing a strong season for the 18-year-old.
In the U20 women’s 100 metres, Paulina Procyk came heartbreakingly close to her lifetime best, clocking 12.28—just 0.01 seconds off her PB. While she narrowly missed advancing, Procyk will be back on the track Saturday for the 100m hurdles semifinals.
Also in the U20 100m heats, Amy Zhang and Kierra McGillivray each set personal bests of 12.73 and 12.87, respectively, gaining valuable national championship experience in their first appearances at the meet.
The momentum carried through the 400 metres, where Sophia McIntyre kicked off the day in style by lowering her PB to 58.67 seconds and advancing to Thursday’s U20 women’s semifinals. In the open women’s section, Cora McQuinn also punched her ticket to the semis with a personal best of 57.06.
On the men’s side, William Harris opened his summer season with a solid 50.27 in the open 400m, advancing to Friday’s semifinals.
Closing out the evening, Jacob Puvan delivered a statement performance in the U20 men’s 1500 metres. The 19-year-old chopped four seconds off his previous best, crossing the line in 4:07.43 to cap a successful first day for the Ottawa Lions.
The action continues Thursday culminating Sunday at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. For full schedule, tickets, and event info, visit athletics.ca.
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