OTTAWA — A record-breaking performance from rising talent Maxime Cazabon highlighted a strong finish to the indoor season for the Ottawa Lions, as athletes delivered standout performances across provincial, national and international stages.
Cazabon turned heads at the Ontario Indoor Combined Events Championships in Toronto, capturing the U18 pentathlon title in his debut in the discipline. The Grade 10 standout amassed 3,366 points — a new Ontario U17 record — surpassing the previous mark of 3,134 set in 1999.
Long recognized for his jumping prowess, Cazabon showcased his versatility across all five disciplines, winning four of the five events contested. He recorded four lifetime best performances on the day and matched his seasonal best in the high jump at 1.91 metres — the second-highest clearance in Canada this season in the U18 category.
The previous weekend at the Ontario U16 and U20 Championships, Penny Roy continued her steady progression in the race walk, capturing gold in the U16 1500-metre event. The 14-year-old clocked a personal best of 9:14.26.
On the international stage, Maëliss Trapeau represented Canada at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland, narrowly missing out on a place in the semifinals of the women’s 800 metres. Trapeau crossed the line in 2:03.78, finishing just 0.58 seconds shy of advancing from her heat. The performance builds on her momentum from last season, where she reached the semifinals at the outdoor world championships.
Meanwhile, in the United States, Quinn Coughlin opened her outdoor campaign in impressive fashion at the Jack Christiansen Invitational. The first-year Colorado State athlete claimed victory in the 400-metre hurdles in 1:01.31 — the fastest season-opening performance of her career and the fourth-fastest time overall.