OTTAWA — Cold temperatures, rain and swirling winds made for less-than-ideal conditions Wednesday at the NCSSAA West Conference Championships at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, but Ottawa Lions athletes still delivered a series of standout performances across the track and field events.
From the sprints to the distance races and field events, Lions athletes combined for numerous individual titles and several multi-event victories as the road to OFSAA officially got underway.
Among the day’s top performances was a dominant triple victory from John McCrae’s Jake Claydon-St. John in the novice boys division. The Grade 9 student captured the 400 metres in 55.51, returned to win the 800 metres in 2:12.55, and later closed out his afternoon with a victory in the 1500 metres in 4:31.22 — one of the most impressive all-around performances of the meet.
John McCrae also swept the senior distance events as Maya Allibon and Adam Yakimchuk each completed middle-distance doubles.
Allibon controlled both of her races, winning the senior girls 800 metres in 2:24.44 before returning to claim the 1500 metres in 5:03.83, taking both events by comfortable margins. Yakimchuk matched the feat on the boys side, capturing the senior 1500 metres in 4:19.71 and the 3000 metres in 9:22.10.
In the senior boys sprints, Paul-Desmarais standout Ange-Mathis Kramo cruised to victory in both of his events despite the difficult conditions. The Grade 12 student captured the 200 metres in 22.42 before adding the 400-metre title in 51.64.
All Saints student Declan McGinnity put together an impressive triple victory of his own in the junior boys division, winning the 200 metres (24.62), 400 metres (53.22) and 800 metres (2:22.21).
Holy Trinity’s Teagan Casselman led the way in the senior girls sprints, sweeping the 100 metres (13.14), 200 metres (27.37) and 100-metre hurdles (18.26).
Teammate Norah Nitta Mackay picked up victories in both the 400 metres and 400-metre hurdles, clocking 58.98 and 1:10.78 respectively.
In the field events, Sir Robert Borden’s Roxy Gardiner claimed a trio of titles as she dominated the jumps competition. The first-year senior athlete won both the long jump (5.16m) and triple jump (10.73m), while also sharing top spot in the high jump at 1.40 metres.
Eli Mordel also had a strong day for the Borden Bengals, winning the senior boys 110-metre hurdles in 15.65 and adding a silver medal in the long jump with a leap of 5.90 metres. Results from earlier season competitions were used to determine the pole vault standings, where Mordel’s 4.60-metre clearance was credited as a new meet record.
The novice girls sprint events saw Sacred Heart’s Michelle Nalwoga sweep both the 100 metres (14.14) and 200 metres (28.45), while Nepean’s Sasha Stephenson claimed victories in both hurdle events, winning the 80-metre hurdles in 14.16 and the 300-metre hurdles in 51.18.
Full meet results are available at Ottawa Lions Results Page