(Ottawa, Canada---03 August 2025) /Zachary Jeggo/ competes on Day 5 of the Canadian Track and Field Championships presented by Bell at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. Copyright 2025 Miles Ryan / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Jeggo, Gale Named to Team Canada for World Relays in Botswana

by Internationallinkinbio

OTTAWA — Two Ottawa Lions athletes will represent Canada on the global stage next month, as Zachary Jeggo and Lauren Gale were named to the national team for the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana.

For the veteran Gale, Wednesday’s selection marks her third consecutive selection to the World Relays. In contrast, Jeggo’s appointment represents a breakthrough moment — his first national team selection at any level, and another stepping stone in a remarkable freshman campaign at Simon Fraser University.

“I was really surprised,” Jeggo said via email following the Athletics Canada announcement. “A senior national team wasn’t on my 2026 bingo card, that’s for sure. I called one of my closest buddies first to break the news, and honestly, I just couldn’t believe it.”

The honours continued through the day for the first-year standout, who was recognized later Wednesday as both Male Freshman of the Year and Lorne Davies Male Athlete of the Year for Individual Sport at Simon Fraser, following an exceptional debut season.

Jeggo described the day as “hectic” and “pretty surreal,” after being named to Team Canada and earning multiple major awards at Simon Fraser. He credited his teammates and friends for their support, adding that he was grateful to share the moment with them.

Jeggo’s rise has been one of the most compelling stories of the indoor season. Competing in the 400 metres, the Ottawa native announced himself on the national stage earlier this year with a Canadian U20 indoor record performance of 46.72 seconds at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships — a time that positioned him among the top young quarter-milers in the country.

His progression from club standout to NCAA contributor has been rapid, but representing Canada marks a new level.

“Honestly, it means everything,” Jeggo said of his appointment. “I’m glad to be Canadian and to now represent the country at one of the biggest stages, which really means a lot to me. I always trained with the hope of someday making it, and now it’s about to become a reality.”

Set to compete in a relay environment, Jeggo will make the transition from individual racing to team competition — a dynamic he embraces.

“I think the aspect of having a team is something unique in this sport,” he said. “For once, you aren’t just running for yourself but the other three people on the team. For me, I just want to do my job and get the baton around the oval as quickly as possible to give my teammates and I a shot at winning.”

The World Relays will also serve as a key stepping stone as he builds toward a possible spot on Team Canada at the World U20 Championships later this summer.

“I just want to go out there and compete to the best of my ability and show why I’ve been selected,” Jeggo said of his selection to the mixed 4x400m pool. “Gaining that experience will help me better myself as an athlete and a person as well. Anything can happen over the course of the season, and there is tons of good competition, so hopefully I can keep the ball rolling and make that U20 team.”

While Jeggo prepares for his international debut, Gale returns to familiar territory as one of Canada’s most experienced relay contributors in the 4x400m. The Ottawa Lions veteran has been a consistent presence on national teams since 2021 when she was named to her first Olympic team.

At last year’s event in China, Gale was instrumental in helping both the women’s and mixed 4×400 metre relay squads qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo. 

“Excited and always honoured to represent Canada at a World event,” Gale shared in a recent social media post following the announcement. “Here’s a preview — coming to you soon Botswana.”

With a blend of emerging talent and veteran leadership, the Lions duo will look to make their mark in Gaborone, where strong performances could punch Canada’s ticket to either this year’s World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest or next year’s World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

(Montreal, Canada---24 January 2026) /Maxime Cazabon of Ottawa Lions/ at the McGill Team Challenge held in the Tomlinson Fieldhouse on the campus of McGill University . Copyright 2026 Miles Ryan / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Cazabon Smashes Ontario Record in Pentathlon Debut to Lead Lions

by InternationallinkinbioProvincialUniversity

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.

(Ottawa, Canada---19 June 2024) Liz Maguire competing at Ottawa Summer Twilight Meet #3 at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. Copyright 2024 Miles Ryan Rowat / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Maguire Sets Canadian Record as Lions Deliver Record-Breaking Weekend

by ClubInternationallinkinbioMastersUniversity

While the spotlight shone brightly on Boston last weekend, Ottawa Lions athletes were also turning heads across North America and France. The weekend haul included a Canadian masters record, a world-class 800-metre performance, and several marks that reshaped the club’s all-time rankings.

In Toronto, Liz Maguire delivered a historic performance at the AO Winter Mini Meet, breaking the Canadian W55 indoor record in the 5000 metres. Maguire, who placed second in the all-comers race, crossed the line in 19:40.57, lowering the previous national record set in 2024 by nearly 100 seconds. The mark is Maguire’s third Canadian masters record, adding to her outdoor W55 standards in the 1500 metres and the mile.

Across the Atlantic, middle-distance standout Maëliss Trapeau placed fourth in the women’s 800 metres at the Meeting Miramas Métropole in France. The defending Canadian champion clocked 2:02.41, the second-fastest indoor performance of her career. Trapeau is aiming to secure a place at this year’s World Indoor Championships in Poland this March. She currently sits 25th in the Road to Kujawy Pomorze rankings, with the top 30 athletes earning selection.

In the United States, Maddie Seaby delivered a breakthrough run at home in the women’s 3000 metres at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational in Louisville, stopping the clock at 9:35.43. The performance moves Seaby to seventh on the club’s U23 all-time list and improves on her previous personal best of 9:36.96 set last February. She also added a mile personal best of 4:58.91 the following day.

At the PSU National Open in Pennsylvania, several Lions posted notable results. Nicolas Belan (University of Guelph) turned in one of the busiest – and most productive – weekends of any Lion, recording a pair of U23 all-time top-10 performances. He ran 4:06.17 in the mile and followed with a 2:26.30 clocking over 1000 metres. Those marks place him 10th on the club’s U23 mile list and sixth in the 1000 metres. His mile performance also moves him to eighth in the current U SPORTS rankings, strengthening his championship positioning.

Combined events athlete Leo Wallner (Western University) delivered the strongest heptathlon of his career, scoring 4,831 points to finish fifth overall at the Penn State meet. The score moves him to seventh on the club’s all-time list and currently ranks ninth in the country. Wallner equalled his high jump personal best at 1.90 metres and set a lifetime best of 12.38 metres in the shot put as part of a strong seven-event series.

Paulina Procyk (University of Toronto)matched her personal best of 8.63 seconds in the women’s 60-metre hurdles on her way to a fifth-place finish. It was a busy schedule for the University of Toronto graduate student, who also competed in the flat 60 metres before racing three rounds of hurdles. Procyk currently ranks 13th nationally, just one position shy of the U SPORTS automatic qualifying standard.

At La Classique Héloise in Montreal, U18 vaulter Anabelle Muir rebounded from a disappointing outing the previous weekend to clear 3.45 metres. The mark moves her to third on the club’s U18 all-time list and places her 10th overall in club history across all age categories — a significant milestone for the developing vaulter. Muir currently ranks second nationally in her age group.

Saul Taler of Ottawa Lions T.f.c competes in the men's U20 race at the Canadian Cross Country Championships at Fanshawe Golf Course in London, Ontario on Saturday, November 29, 2025.

Taler Makes Canada Debut at World Cross Country Championships in Florida

by Internationallinkinbio

Saul Taler’s first race in a Canadian kit was one he won’t soon forget.

The Ottawa Lions standout represented Canada for the first time Saturday at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, lining up in the U20 men’s 8-kilometre race against the best young distance runners in the world.

For the Queen’s University freshman, simply being on the start line was a moment to savour. “Running for my first national team was a really cool experience”, he reflected afterward. “It was pretty surreal lining up against some of the best runners in the world and it was an honour to compete for the Canadian team.”

Taler finished 41st overall in a field of 73, stopping the clock in 26:18 over one of the most demanding courses the championships have staged in recent years.

Set inside Apalachee Regional Park, the layout was built to showcase Florida’s rugged natural landscape, featuring sand, mud, water crossings and rolling terrain, highlighted by a signature “rollercoaster” section that challenged athletes throughout the race. Two looping circuits forced runners through four obstacle zones apiece, testing rhythm as much as endurance.

“The course was interesting to say the least”, Taler joked after the race. “The obstacles were rhythm breakers but weren’t as bad as I expected. To be honest the sand was probably the worst obstacle since you lost a lot of speed with the bad footing. In that sense, training back home paid off: The Mooney’s Bay sand definitely prepped me well – I’m just grateful it wasn’t as long as the stretch at Capital XC.”

Across the line, he emerged as Canada’s third finisher, 49 seconds behind national team leader Brody Clark, who placed 26th. The Canadian squad combined for 148 points to finish eighth in the team standings, just 12 points behind Spain. Chase Capes (37th), William Scharf (44th), Oliver Crowe (54th) and Eli Torrie (63rd) rounded out the results for the Canadians.

Up front, Kenya once again asserted its dominance, sweeping the podium for the sixth time in World Cross Country history. Frankline Kibet kicked clear in the closing stages to win in 23:18, leading a Kenyan 1-2-3-4 finish and securing team gold.

For Taler, Saturday’s result capped an eye-opening introduction to world-class racing, coming less than a year into his university career. The first-year Gael earned his place on the team after finishing 11th at the Canadian Cross Country Championships in November.

“Being surrounded by world-class athletes was extremely inspiring and motivates me to one day get to that level”, he said. “Going back to Queen’s, I’m more excited than ever to get back to training with the guys and get ready for track season.”

The significance of the performance also resonated back home. Taler’s 41st-place finish marked the best showing by an Ottawa Lion at the World Cross Country Championships since Danelle Woods placed 25th in the women’s U20 race in 2008, and the strongest men’s result since Olympian Sean Kaley finished 29th in the senior men’s short course race at the 1999 championships in Belfast.

In a neat personal twist, the Queen’s rookie even bettered the best World Cross Country result of his own coach, Mark Bomba. The Gaels leader was twice a member of Team Canada at the Championships, posting a best finish of 65th in the short course at the 2003 edition in Lausanne.

With his first international championship now behind him, Tallahassee stands as a major early milestone for one of the Lions’ emerging athletes on the world stage and, if his own words are any indication, just the beginning of a much bigger journey.

Full results from Saturday’s championship are available on the World Athletics website.

Lauren GALE (CAN) competes in the 400m heats at the World Athletics Championships, Tokyo September 14 2025

Gale Shines on Second Leg, Canada Finishes 13th in 4x400m Relay

by Internationallinkinbio

Lauren Gale closed out her World Athletics Championships on Saturday by anchoring Canada’s push in the women’s 4×400-metre relay. Running the second leg, the Lions sprinter produced the fastest split of her team as Canada battled through injuries and a deep field to record a season’s-best performance, though it wasn’t enough to advance to the final.

The Canadian women’s relay squad placed fifth in the second of two heats in Tokyo. Despite clocking 3 minutes 26.33 seconds, their fastest time of the year, Canada finished 13th overall and did not advance.

Gale took the baton from Zoe Sherar in seventh place and surged around the National Stadium. The two time Olympian delivered Canada’s fastest split of the evening and  the fourth-fastest among all second-leg runners, handing off to Alyssa Marsh in fourth place.

“It’s frustrating to not make a final,” said Gale following the heats. “We have the talent to be there and we should be there, but we gave it our all and I think we all got lactic trying our best.”

Canada's Maeliss Trapeau reacts after competing in women's 800 meters semifinal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Trapeau breaks 1:59 in 800m at World Championships

by Internationallinkinbio

Nearly 15 years after first pulling on an Ottawa Lions singlet as a 12-year-old, Maëliss Trapeau lined up this week on track and field’s biggest stage. The former University of Ottawa standout, who collected medals at both the OUA and U Sports levels before moving to France to push her running career forward, returned to represent Canada this summer. On Friday in Tokyo, she showed just how far that journey has taken her.

Trapeau ran a personal-best 1 minute 58.90 seconds to place sixth in her 800-metre semifinal, finishing 16th overall at her first World Athletics Championships. It was the best result by a Lions athlete at the World Athletics Championship since Tim Nedow’s ninth place in the shot put at the 2019 edition.

Her time makes her just the sixth Canadian woman to break the 1:59 barrier and brings her closer to the national and club record of 1:57.01 held by Melissa Bishop-Nriagu.

“I was feeling really good in the warmup. I was flying actually, so I was a little bit more stressed than yesterday,” Trapeau said. “Before the race, my coach told me I could do a 1:58.20. I did not, but I’m still happy that I did a 1:58. It’s a big PB.”

She added: “In the last hundred metres, a girl was beside me and I didn’t want her to pass me, so I pushed through to the end. Thanks to my family, both of my clubs, the French one [Club d’Athlétisme de Martigues] and the Canadian one. It’s really good to finish my season at the World Championships with a PB.”

Trapeau, who won the Canadian title in Ottawa this summer, was cleared to represent Canada after her transfer of allegiance from France was approved by World Athletics in August.

Earlier in the week, Lauren Gale equalled her best individual global Championship result with a 26th-place finish in the women’s 400 metres. Racing in the preliminary round, Gale placed fourth in her heat with a time of 51.56 seconds, falling just 0.19 seconds shy of a semifinal berth.

“The goal is always to make the final,” Gale said while waiting to see if she would advance on time. “It’s been a long season with a couple of injuries. So I’m just happy to be here and representing Canada is always an honour.”

Gale’s world championship is not over. She is expected to run on Canada’s 4×400-metre relay squad, with heats scheduled for Saturday morning at 7am Eastern time. The Canadians will need a top-three finish in their heat, or one of the two fastest remaining times, to move on to Sunday’s final where they will be looking to improve upon their sixth place finish at last year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

20250827_tokyo_team_annoucement-wide

Gale, Trapeau Named to Team Canada for World Championships in Tokyo

by Internationallinkinbio

From Ottawa to Tokyo, two Lions are set to chase glory on track and field’s biggest stage. Lauren Gale and Maëliss Trapeau will don the maple leaf for Team Canada at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, joining the world’s best athletes inside Japan’s iconic National Stadium this September.

The championships, set for September 13–21, will bring more than 2,000 athletes from 200 countries back to the Japan National Stadium—host venue of the 2020 Olympic Games—for the first time since Tokyo last staged the event in 1991. For Team Canada head coach, and Lions Hall of Famer, Glenroy Gilbert, the return to Tokyo is something special.

“It’s an amazing facility. It’s an amazing stadium. It’s just been waiting for this opportunity to welcome the world back to where the athletes can run in front of a full stadium of spectators,” Gilbert said in the Athletics Canada’s team announcement. “I think the athletes will have a blast. They’ll enjoy it. I’m looking forward to seeing them put on an amazing world championships. To have full stadiums of spectators cheering our athletes on will be a real special added bonus for those athletes that were there four years ago.”

For Gale, Tokyo will mark her second World Championships appearance following her historic debut in Eugene, Oregon, in 2022, when she became the first Lion to contest two individual events on the world stage.

The Colorado State alumna is slated to compete in the open 400m and relays, events in which she has already made an impact this season. At the World Relays in May, Gale helped Canada qualify for both the women’s and mixed 4x400m events, running on a national record-setting mixed relay team. She owns a season’s best of 51.00 seconds, recorded at the Irena Szewińska Memorial in Poland, and most recently placed sixth at the NACAC Championships in the Bahamas.

Gale also has history in Tokyo, having been part of Canada’s 2020 Olympic team as a 4x400m alternate.

For Trapeau, Tokyo will be her first international outing in Canadian colours. The dual citizen previously represented France at the 2018 World U20 Championships before re-establishing herself in Ottawa.

A graduate of the University of Ottawa, Trapeau relocated to France after her studies to pursue the 800m. This year, she broke the two-minute barrier for the first time with a personal best of 1:59.09 in Toulouse, just shy of the World Championship standard of 1:59.00. Since rejoining the Lions in July, she has captured her first Canadian title. Just two weeks ago in Switzerland, she once again dipped under two minutes, clocking 1:59.86 at the Fribourg International Meeting.

To follow Lauren and Maëliss in Tokyo, you can catch all the action live on CBC Gem. Below is the event schedule (all times Eastern)

  • Mixed 4x400m Relay
    Heats – Friday, Sept. 12, 10:55 p.m.
    Final – Saturday, Sept. 13, 9:20 a.m.
  • Women’s 400m
    Heats – Sunday, Sept. 14, 6:25 a.m.
    Semifinal – Tuesday, Sept. 16, 8:05 a.m.
    Final – Thursday, Sept. 18, 9:24 a.m.
  • Women’s 800m
    Heats – Thursday, Sept. 18, 6:55 a.m.
    Semifinal – Friday, Sept. 19, 7:45 a.m.
    Final – Sunday, Sept. 21, 6:35 a.m.
  • Women’s 4x400m Relay
    Heats – Saturday, Sept. 20, 7:00 a.m.
    Final – Sunday, Sept. 21, 7:40 a.m.
(Montreal, Canada---29 June 2024) Jessica Gyamfi competing in the 2024 Bell Trials Canadian Track and Field Championships and Olympic Trials. Photograph Copyright 2024 Miles Ryan / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Three Lions Named to Team Canada for World University Games

by InternationallinkinbioUniversity

Three Ottawa Lions athletes will don the maple leaf this summer as members of Team Canada at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Germany. Doyin Ogunremi, Jessica Gyamfi, and David Moulongou—all students at the University of Ottawa—have been selected to represent Canada in athletics when the Games kick off July 21 in the Rhine-Ruhr region.

Jessica Gyamfi will represent Canada in both the shot put and discus. The third-year nursing student enjoyed the most successful season of her young career, highlighted by a historic bronze medal at the U SPORTS Championships in March. Her throw of 13.32 metres secured a place on the national podium and made her the first woman in Gee-Gees history to medal in a field event at U SPORTS. Gyamfi also captured OUA silver in the shot put and rewrote the school record books with program-best marks in both the shot put (13.85m) and weight throw (15.98m). Her performances earned her Gee-Gee Athlete of the Year honours this season..

Ogunremi, who starred for the Gee-Gees during the indoor season, will compete in the 200 metres and is part of Canada’s 4×100 and 4×400 metre relay pool. A long time relay standout for the Lions, Ogunremi has played a key role on each of the club’s last three national championship-winning 4x400m squads, including the Canadian Club Record performance in 2022. Individually, she posted a personal best of 24.79 seconds in the 200 metres at last summer’s Ontario Senior Championships and was just off the podium at the 2024 OUA Championships with a indoor 300m best of 39.77.

Rounding out the trio is David Moulongou, who will contest the 400 metre hurdles and is also part of the 4x400m relay pool. A seasoned championship performer, Moulongou placed sixth in the 400m hurdles at the 2024 Canadian Olympic Trials and owns a personal best of 52.52 seconds. He’s a two-time defending bronze medalist at the Ontario Championships and won silver in the 400m hurdles and bronze in the 4x400m at the 2022 Canada Games. The World University Games will offer another opportunity for the versatile hurdler to shine on the international stage.

This summer’s selections mark the first time Ottawa Lions athletes will compete at the World University Games since 2019, when Keira Christie-Galloway (100m hurdles) and Farah Abdulkarim (10,000m) represented Canada. In total, 28 Lions athletes have competed at the Games, combining for six medals—highlighted by gold in the 4x400m relay from Michael Robertson in 2013 and Esther Akinsulie in 2009. For Ogunremi, Gyamfi, and Moulongou, their inclusion continues a proud club tradition of excelling on the international stage.

22WIC_Lauren_Gale

Double Duty, Double Impact: Gale Helps Canada Book Tickets to Tokyo

by Internationallinkinbio

Lauren Gale showcased her trademark poise and power on the world stage this past weekend, playing a critical role in helping Team Canada qualify two relay squads for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo during the World Athletics Relay Championships in Guangzhou, China.

On Saturday, Gale joined teammates Jasneet Nijjar, Zoe Sherar, and Madeline Price in the heats of the women’s 4×400 metre relay. With a swift 51.38 split on the third leg, Gale helped the team clock a seasonal best 3:27.28, narrowly securing the eighth and final spot in the final. That performance also clinched Canada’s place in Tokyo, as the top two teams from each of the four heats earned automatic qualification for the World Championships, along with the next two fastest times.

Less than 24 hours later, Gale returned to the track for round two of the mixed 4x400m relay alongside Austin Cole, Nathan George, and Sherar. Running second, Gale delivered a blazing 50.56 split to move Canada from fifth to second at the handoff. The team finished third in their heat with a national record time of 3:12.95, surpassing the previous mark of 3:14.66 set at the 2024 World Relays in Nassau. Gale, notably, was the only returning member of that record-setting squad.

The result once again secured Canada’s direct entry to Tokyo, as the top three teams in each heat were awarded automatic qualification spots.

Incredibly, Gale wasn’t done. Just under two hours later, she was back on the track for the women’s 4x400m final, this time running second. After receiving the baton in eighth, Gale pushed hard with a 50.92 split, helping close the gap and setting up Sherar to push past Germany on the final leg to carry Canada to a 7th-place finish.

With both relay squads now officially qualified for Tokyo 2025, Gale’s contributions over the weekend were vital—not just in terms of performance, but in cementing her status as a cornerstone of Canada’s relay ambitions this season.

She’ll now set her sights on earning a place on Canada’s final roster for the World Championships when the Canadian Track and Field Championships return to Ottawa from July 30 to August 3. With the nation’s top athletes converging on the capital, Gale will look to lock in her spot on the team bound for Tokyo.

(Montreal, Canada---30 June 2024) Stephan Balson competing in the 2024 Bell Trials Canadian Track and Field Championships and Olympic Trials. Photograph Copyright 2024 Brian Rouble / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Balson Adds to National Records at CARIFTA Games

by Internationallinkinbio

Ottawa Lions sprinter Stephan Balson made his third appearance for his native St. Kitts and Nevis at the CARIFTA Games this past weekend, competing at the 52nd edition of the championships in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The highlight of his meet came in the U20 4x400m relay, where he helped his home nation establish a new national record—his third at the U20 level this year.

Balson began the competition with a pair of fourth-place finishes in the heats of the U20 400m and 200m. He ran 48.09 in Saturday’s 400m, just missing a spot in the final, and followed with a 21.72 clocking in Sunday’s 200m, facing a -1.0 m/s headwind.

The highlight came in Monday’s 4x400m relay final, where Balson joined teammates Akanye Samuel-Francis, Jaheem Clarke, and Jaylen Bennett to finish seventh overall in 3:16.88—a new national U20 record for St. Kitts and Nevis. The mark adds to Balson’s growing list of national accolades, which includes indoor records in both the 200m and 400m.

His return to the CARIFTA Games followed a standout indoor campaign with the Lions. Balson clocked 47.78 in the 400m—ranking 38th globally among U20 athletes—and added a swift 21.64 over 200m.

Now with three national records and valuable international experience, Balson is poised for a strong transition into the outdoor season.