Saturday night, under the lights of the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, provided an excellent opportunity to celebrate the many successes of the past year. From record-breaking sprints to dominant throws and championship-winning jumps, the evening highlighted both the club’s veteran stars and its next generation of rising talents.
Gale, Gyamfi, Jeggo, and Fraser Take Top Honours
The prestigious Gilbert Awards, presented annually to the club’s top athletes in track and field, once again showcased the Lions’ breadth of talent.
Lauren Gale, Canada’s premier 400-metre runner, earned Female Athlete of the Year (Track) for the fourth straight season. A multiple-time member of the national team in 2025, Gale helped Canada qualify both the mixed and women’s 4×400-metre relays to the World Athletics Championships, helping set a new national record in the mixed event. The Colorado State University graduate also earned a spot on her second World Championship team (Eugene 2022) after placing fourth over 400 metres at the Canadian Championships.
Jessica Gyamfi claimed her second straight Female Athlete of the Year (Field) award. The University of Ottawa nursing student enjoyed a breakthrough 2025 season highlighted by her first national team appointment and a bronze medal for Team Ontario in the shot put at the Canada Summer Games. After being named the University of Ottawa’s Female Athlete of the Year, Gyamfi capped her collegiate season by representing Canada at the World University Games in Germany. She also earned gold in discus at the Athletics Ontario Championships and produced a pair of top-five finishes at the Canadian Championships.
Zach Jeggo was named Male Athlete of the Year (Track) after a season that established him as one of the brightest young stars in Canadian athletics. The U20 standout won national gold in the 400-metre hurdles and bronze in the 400 metres, while anchoring the Lions’ U20 4×400-metre team to multiple Canadian club records. A first-year student at Simon Fraser University, Jeggo capped his summer with gold in the Canada Summer Games 4×400 relay and an individual silver in the 400 metres.
Connor Fraser earned Male Athlete of the Year (Field) for the second consecutive season following another strong year as one of Canada’s top discus throwers. The Carleton University student claimed silver at both the Canadian Championships and Canada Summer Games, added provincial gold in discus, and earned bronze in shot put at the Athletics Ontario Championships.
Rising Stars Shine
This year’s banquet also celebrated the future of the sport, with outstanding performers recognized in the U20, U18, and U16 divisions.
In the U20 division, Daniel Cova delivered one of the year’s most memorable performances. The Iona University student thrilled the home crowd at the Canadian Championships by dropping 40 seconds off his personal best in the 5,000 metres, earning silver in 14:24.12 — the second-fastest mark in club history. He also added a bronze medal in the 1,500 metres.On the women’s side, Jorai Oppong-Nketiah continued her rise as Canada’s next sprint star, sweeping the 100 and 200 metres at the national U20 championships.
Among U18 athletes, Eli Mordel etched his name into the Lions record books with club-best performances in both the 60 and 110-metre hurdles at the Canadian Indoor and Outdoor Championships. The Sir Robert Borden student also earned bronze in the pole vault at the Canadian Indoor U18 Championships. In her first season with the club, Ellie McGregor impressed with No. 4 all-time U18 marks in both the 600 and 800 metres. She finished the season ranked seventh nationally and contributed to the Lions’ 4×400-metre bronze at the Canadian U20 Championships.
At the U16 level, Maxime Cazabon dominated the jumps, winning national titles in both high jump and triple jump while setting a new club record in the latter. He also ranked among the nation’s best sprinters, setting a club record in the 60 metres and moving to No. 3 all-time over 100 metres before a hamstring injury sidelined his sprinting season. Alexandra Harris excelled on the endurance front, cracking the club’s all-time top 10 in the 3,000 metres at No. 9 and posting the 12th-best performance ever over 1,500 metres.
Masters and Specialty Awards
The club’s long-standing tradition of excellence extended well beyond youth and open competition.
In the Masters category, Wendy Alexis once again proved ageless, breaking world records in the W70 100 metres and indoor 200 metres while sweeping national and provincial titles. On the men’s side, J-Angelo Beraldin collected six national medals across the throws, including silver in shot put and bronzes in discus, hammer, javelin, weight throw, and the throws pentathlon.
On the cross-country front, Daniel Cova capped his remarkable season by being named top male following his OFSAA title and a team bronze with the U18 boys at the Canadian Championships. Salome Nyirarukundo earned top female honours after placing eighth at the Canadian Championships.
In combined events, Kyle London climbed to No. 3 all-time in the club’s U20 heptathlon rankings and claimed national silver despite a no-height in pole vault. Vienna Courteau finished top-eight at the USports Championships in the pentathlon and cracked the club’s all-time list.
Continuing a Legacy
This year’s awards banquet showcased not only the Lions’ leading performers but also the next generation beginning to make their mark. From national medals to club records, the season underlined the club’s continued strength across all levels of competition.
The club congratulates all 2025 award recipients for their extraordinary accomplishments and looks forward to another season of excellence in 2026.