All posts by : miles.rowat

A new set of OFSAA dreams took another step closer to being realized Thursday at the National Capital Cross Country Championships. With runners advancing to next Saturday’s provincial championships via a spot on one of the top two teams in each of the three age categories or a top five finish among all other runners, an impressive 25 Lions will live to run another day – representing more than a quarter of all qualifiers.

While the fields of the Hornet’s Nest in Gloucester may better be known for soccer, they were filled with runners seeking some hardware and a opportunity to get that elusive OFSAA sweatshirt. While shut out in the novice category, Lions runner’s took home nine medals including three gold.

After a sub par performance at last year’s city championship, Joe Fast returned to the top of the medal stand with a dominating performance in the senior boy’s race. The grade 12 student completed the six kilometre course in 20 minutes and 50.2 seconds, an impressive 35 seconds ahead of training partner Adam Sanger of Glebe. Rounding out the Lions sweep of the senior boys podium was Callum Saravanamuttoo, also of Glebe.

Lions athletes swept the junior category titles with Yannick Meredith and Charlotte Murchison taking the boys and girls titles respectively. Meredith took a close  victory over fellow Lion Kyle Porter as he finished the five kilometre course in a time of 18 minutes and 47.3 seconds, less than three seconds ahead of Porter. Murchison’s margin was twice as big, winning in 20 minutes 53.1 seconds over Glebe’s Cara MacDonald. Rounding out the podium was Lion Gillian Porter in 21 minutes and 50.0 seconds.

In the senior girls race, the duo of Katie Newlove and Skye Pellerin took silver and bronze respectively. Newlove of St. Peter’s High School in Orleans finished the six kilometre race in 24 minutes and 59.6 seconds, 11 seconds ahead of Pellerin.

For a full list of qualifiers, please see below:

The Lions Pride gathered Saturday night to celebrate a year of excellence that included 49 national medalists, 8 international team members and 1 world championship finalist. Awards were handed out to celebrate our top athletes at every level, to acknowledge our national team members and the very special Sean Cole Memorial award recognizing dedication to Club service.

A quartet of Lions were recognized with the Gilbert Awards for top senior athletes. It was no surprise that shot putter Tim Nedow took home the prize for male field athlete of the year. The 6 foot 7 inch mountain man had arguably his strongest season yet capturing his seventh straight Canadian title in the shot put as well as placing a career best ninth at the World Championships in Doha.

His female counterpart in the field had the best season of her career. Divya Biswal was a record breaking machine in 2019m thrice extending her own Club record in the triple jump and finally beating Leslie Estwick’s 25 year old club mark in the long jump. Biswal also took home a silver in the triple jump from the Canadian Championships.

On the track, Keira Christie-Galloway took home her first Gilbert Award in just her first season has a senior athlete. The 19 year old had a banner year that included indoor and outdoor Big 12 titles in the sprint hurdles, All-American status outdoors, and a place on Team Canada for both the World University and Pan Am Games. In addition, Christie-Galloway took significant chunks of time off her personal bests in both the 60 and 100 metre hurdles, moving to number two all-time in the Club behind 1996 Olympian Lesley Tashlin.

The men’s Gilbert Award on the track was shared between a pair of past winners – Saj Alhaddad and Oluwasegun Makinde. Both men were silver medalists at the Canadian Championships over the intermediate and sprint hurdles respectively. As well, they each also raced to similar positions at the Ontario Championships this summer.

Hurdlers, overall, were big winners on the night, with six athletes being recognized.

Canadian U20 champion over the 400 metre hurdles, Leewinchell Jean, was named the top U20 male athlete. In addition to his national title, the University of Windsor student cracked the Club’s all-time top 10 list and represented Canada at the Pan Am Junior Championships this summer.

At the U18 level, sprint hurdler David Adeleye was recognized for his gold medal performance at the Canadian Legion Championships in Nova Scotia.

Luca Nicoletti was recognized for his outstanding performances over the hurdles as well, taking home the award for top U16 male. The grade 10 Beatrice Desloges student was a silver medalist at the Legion Championships over the 200 metre hurdles in addition to being a finalist in the 100 metre hurdle event.

Winning the Sean Cole Memorial award for dedication to club service was Debbie Tracey. The Immaculata High School teacher has been a wonderful contributor to the Club since she led a group of inspired educators to raise money for two of her high school students to attend our summer program in 2017.

Foundation and Aspire program leader Zach Quevillon gave a glowing account of Tracey’s contributions, saying ” Debbie has led the charge to inspire others to volunteer as often and enthusiastically as she does. It is not uncommon for Debbie to show up after practice or a meet with healthy snacks (and the occasional treat) for her athletes. Her volunteerism and big heart has a reach that cannot be fully measured. As the boys she first supported years ago now grow into young men, they too carry her will to help others and invoke positive change. Debbie makes the track and field community, the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club, and the city, a better place!” We thank Debbie for her continued contributions to the sport and her students.

A full list of award winners are presented below.

Gilbert Awards (Senior)

Female
Track: Keira Christie-Galloway
Field: Divya Biswal

Male
Track: Saj Alhaddad & Oluwasegun Makinde
Field: Tim Nedow

Most Outstanding U20

Female: Lauren Gale
Male: Leewinchell Jean

Most Outstanding U18

Female: Audrey Gilmour/Doyin Ogunremi
Male: David Adeleye

Most Outstanding U16

Female: Not Awarded
Male: Luca Nicoletti

Most Outstanding U14

Female: Not awarded
Male: Not awarded

Denis Landry Award (Most Outstanding  University of Ottawa)

Female: Maeliss Trapeau
Male: Stephen Evans

Most Outstanding Carleton University

Female: Nicole Istead
Male: Alec Jeffrey

Sam Estwick Award (Most Outstanding Para Athlete)

Joshua Cassidy

Most Outstanding Cross Country 

Female: Rosalyn Barrett
Male: Adam Sanger

Most Outstanding Masters

Female: Wendy Alexis
Male: Joe Paialunga

Most Outstanding Road Racing

Salome Nyirarukundo

Most Outstanding Combined Events

John Claude van Biljon

Sean Cole Memorial Award (Dedication to Club Service)

Debbie Tracey

• Saturday October 12th: Practice as usual
• Monday October 14th: Thanksgiving! Facility will be closed.
• Saturday October 26th: Last day at Terry Fox
• Monday October 28th: First day at the Dome!

Continuing our High School Cross Country Athlete of the Week series, Coach Kirk Dillabaugh has selected Charlotte Murchison as the winner for the week of September 30 to October 5.

Murchison, led all novice and junior runners at the Capital XC Challenge, capturing the junior varsity 4km race in a time of 15 minutes and 17.69 seconds. The grade 10 student at Mother Teresa bested second place finisher Caitlin Gormley of Glebe Collegiate by the full length of the home stretch inside the Terry Fox Athletic Facility.

Murchison will begin the run to OFSAA next week as she takes part in the National Capital West Conference Championships on Wednesday at the Walter Baker Recreation Complex. She will be looking to qualify for her second OFSAA XC Championship and third overall after finishing 15th on the track last spring in the midget girls 800 metres.

The sun was out, the hills were high and the hay bales were plentiful helping contribute to another great year of the Capital Cross Country Challenge. The two day event concluded Saturday afternoon with the racing of the University/Open division races which featured wins for Lions runner’s  Jean Marie Uwajeneza and Beatha Nishimwe in the men’s and women’s six kilometre events respectively.

Uwajeneza proved himself to be the class of the field early on, holding a nearly 30 metre lead on the field a little under half way through the race. The Rwandan native would continue to push the pace, finishing in a time of 18 minutes and 26.82 seconds, 20 seconds clear of second place finisher, Jeff Archer of the Mile2Marathon running club.

Behind Archer was the Gee Gees leading runner, Andre Alie-Lamarche, who took third in a time of 19 minutes and 1.36 seconds. The second year International Development student led the Gee Gees to the team title which included top ten finishes for Adrian Fournier (6th), Robert Mitchell (8th), and Stephen Robinson (9th).

On the women’s side, Nishimwe was as equally dominant as her countryman, Uwajeneza, winning by more than 12 seconds in 22 minutes and 17.63 seconds. Much like the men’s race, it was another Gee Gee taking third with Rebecca Brennan finishing in 22 minutes and 32.70 seconds. While teammates Keili Shepherd (7th) and Maeliss Trapeau (10th) also cracked the top 10, the Gee Gees fell to McGill University by one point, 48-49.

In Friday’s high school division, Ridgmont’s Joe Fast dominated the varsity boys six kilometre race with his run of 19 minutes and 50.21 seconds. The high school senior posted a 30 second margin of victory over second place runner, Adam Sanger of Glebe.

The varsity girls race was won by Lisgar’s Emma Beatty in 23 minutes and 45.35 seconds, while St. Peter’s Katie Newlove was second in 24:00.39.

Every sport has it. That bottom of the ninth, two outs kind of moment when you have the opportunity to be the hero or the goat. On Thursday, at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, it was exactly that kind of moment staring down Lions shot put record holder Tim Nedow as he was trying to advance to his first outdoor global final. Boy did he rise to the occasion.

Competing in his fourth outdoor championship, the 6 foot 7 inch behemoth of a man looked prime for a spot in the final. After all, Nedow had heaved the 16 pound steel ball to an outdoor personal best of 21.18 metres earlier this season and captured his seventh straight Canadian Championship this July in Montreal.

With the qualifying standard set out at 20.90 metres, Nedow wound himself up like a corkscrew before unleashing a throw of 20.51 metres in round one. While the result would have qualified him for 15 of the past 16 shot put finals in World Championship history, there was a feeling even in the first round that it would take even more on the day. With only a small improvement to 20.54 metres in the second round and a mounting list of competitors dropping their ball beyond the qualifying mark, the pressure began to mount for Nedow and it was time to rise to the occassion.

Nedow stepped into the seven foot ring for his final throw, loaded his powerful legs in the middle of the circle to give that extra little pop in the shot and drop it beyond the yellow qualifying line in the field. When the scoreboard displayed the distance 20.94, the Brockville native got his big Q and a spot in Saturday’s final.

“It was really my only option because the same throw wasn’t going to cut it,” said Nedow of his final effort. “The other group hasn’t even gone yet and I’m sure there are at least 3 or 4 guys who will get the auto, so I had to get that auto qualifier. 20.50 would cut it a few years ago, but it’s not anymore.”

With a staggering eight men having thrown in excess of the magical 22 metre barrier this year, the level of competition in the event has most certainly risen to levels never before seen in the sport’s history. One need look no further than the start list for Saturday’s final as each and every one of the 12 competitors bettered the qualifying mark on Thursday – the first time in history this has ever happened.

“We have such a strong group of guys, it’s so fun. I’m so proud to be part of this historic shot put final. It’s going to be something crazy.”

The men’s shot put final gets started at 1:05 pm eastern. You can watch the action live at CBC.ca/Sports.

It was a return to action for both the University of Ottawa Gee Gees and Carleton University of Ravens as they spent Saturday at the Sherbrooke Vert et Or Invitational.

Despite the week off, the Gee Gees Rebecca Brennan picked up where she left off in Quebec City as she posted the best finish of the group with her eighth place finish in the women’s six kilometre event. Brennan’s time of 25 minutes and 25 seconds put her 65 seconds off the podium.

Following the results of the season opener, third year runner Keili Shepherd was second across the line for the Gee Gee women as she crossed the line in a time of 26:32 to finish 21st.

Pippa Norman was Carleton’s top finisher in 44th with a time of 27:52.

On the men’s side, Gee Gee sophomore Stephen Robinson was the top finisher in 19th with a time of 29 minutes and 58 seconds over the eight kilometre course. Much like in Quebec, it was a tight bunching of Gee Gees as teammates Adrian Fournier and Robert Mitchell were two and three spots back, respectively.

The top finisher for Carleton was Cameron Bruce, who placed 46th with a time of 31:50.

Next up for both teams is the Capital Cross Country Challenge this weekend at Mooney’s Bay. Action starts Friday with the High School section and culminates Saturday with the Eastern Ontario Elementary Schools XC Championship and the Capital XC Open.

For more information on the event, head over to www.ottawalions.com/capital-cross-country-challenge