GABORONE, Botswana — Two Ottawa Lions athletes will represent Canada on the global stage this weekend as Zachary Jeggo and Lauren Gale are in Botswana with Team Canada for the World Athletics Relays.
The two-day competition, which begins Saturday, serves as a key qualification meet for both this year’s World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest and the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.
Jeggo enters the championships in the midst of a breakthrough 2026 campaign. The Simon Fraser freshman set a Canadian U20 indoor record of 46.72 seconds over 400 metres earlier this year and followed it up with a seasonal best of 46.97 outdoors two weeks ago at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California.
Making his senior national team debut, Jeggo is one of men vying for two spots on Canada’s mixed 4×400-metre relay squad. He is joined by Alberta’s Ryder Ratee, who won the Canadian U20 title ahead of Jeggo last summer in Ottawa, and British Columbia’s Nathan George, the 2025 Canadian senior silver medallist.
Gale, meanwhile, returns as a key member of Canada’s women’s 4×400-metre relay pool. The Ottawa Lions standout brief outdoor season already includes a victory in Miami and a seasonal best of 51.24 seconds.
A veteran of multiple global relay teams, Gale competed at last year’s World Relays in Guangzhou, China, where she was a critical member of Canada’s efforts in both the women’s and mixed 4×400-metre events. She helped the mixed relay squad secure World Athletics Championships qualification in the second round and was part of the team that placed seventh in the women’s 4×400-metre final.
That experience has helped shape her role within Canada’s relay program.
“I’ve learned what Team Canada looks for in terms of handoffs, race execution and working as a team,” Gale said when she was named to the team in April. “Relays make it feel more like a team sport, and you learn what works best for the group.”
With several new faces in the relay pool this season, Gale also sees herself stepping into a more prominent role.
“It’s weird to think I’m a veteran now,” she said. “I remember being one of the youngest members on the team… and now I am the veteran, so I think I would like to contribute in any way I can to help the team.”
The stakes in Gaborone extend well beyond podium finishes. The top six teams in the mixed 4×100-metre and mixed 4×400-metre events will secure automatic qualification for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, while 12 teams in each relay discipline will advance to the 2027 World Athletics Championships.
Qualification opportunities will be available across both days of competition. The top teams from each heat will advance to the finals and secure World Championships berths, while additional places remain available through a second-round qualification race.
With global championship berths on the line, the World Relays once again provide a proving ground for the world’s top relay programs, and an opportunity for emerging athletes like Jeggo and established performers like Gale to make their mark.
Schedule (All times EST)
Saturday, May 2
8:30 AM Mixed 4x400m Qualifying Round 1
9:55 AM Women’s 4x400m Qualifying Round 1
Sunday, May 3
8:20 AM Mixed 4x400m World Ch. Qualifying Round 2
8:44 AM Women’s 4x400m World Ch. Qualifying Round 2
10:13 AM Mixed 4x400m FINAL
10:40 AM Women’s 4x400m FINAL
Watch live on CBC Gem