Several record-breaking performances highlighted a thrilling weekend of track and field action as athletes from the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club made their mark at the OUA, RSEQ, and AUS Championships, winning an impressive 20 medals and recording 29 personal best performances.
At the RSEQ Championships, Luca Nicoletti delivered a stellar performance, earning three medals, including a gold in the men’s 300 metres. Nicoletti upgraded his bronze from last year to claim victory in 34.89 seconds, while rookie teammate William Sanders joined him on the podium with a bronze-medal finish in 35.68 seconds. The duo later combined efforts in the men’s 4×400-metre relay, helping McGill to silver with a time of 3:21.59. Nicoletti and Jay Yetman also teamed up in the men’s 4x200m relay, contributing to McGill’s silver-medal performance with a time of 1:30.13. On the women’s side, Audrey Gilmour led off for McGill’s 4x400m team, which secured bronze in 3:58.15.
In the field events, Joshua Foster captured a pair of medals at the RSEQ Championships. After victory in Friday’s triple jump (14.41 metres), Foster added a silver in Saturday’s long jump competition as his final round effort of 7.06 metres left him just one centimetre shy of double gold. Foster’s victory in the triple jump earned him a ticket to the U SPORTS Championships. He had already attained the long jump standard earlier in the season.
Brianna Asiamah successfully defended her RSEQ shot put title with a Ravens-record throw of 13.43 metres. She will enter her fourth U SPORTS Championship ranked sixth in the nation as she battles for that elusive podium finish. Teammate Connor Fraser also stood on the podium in Sherbrooke, taking home RSEQ silver in the men’s shot put for the second consecutive year with a season-best throw of 15.11 metres.
In other jumps, Ella-Grace Gilbert secured RSEQ bronze in the women’s triple jump with an 11.52-metre effort, the second-best jump of her career. Meanwhile, former two-time RSEQ pole vault champion Rosalie Lupien earned silver at this year’s edition, clearing 3.20 metres.
Carleton’s women’s 4x200m relay team of Rose Basu, Michaella Appiah-Kubi, Olajiire Fowler, and Kaylyne Kabongo ran their second-fastest time of the season, finishing in 1:48.84 to claim RSEQ bronze. The women’s 4x400m squad also made history, as Appiah-Kubi, Laura Cross, Fowler, and Aria MacDonald set a new Carleton record in 4:14.08, placing fourth and breaking the previous program mark of 4:14.38 set in 2018.
At the OUA Championships, the Gee-Gees men’s 4x400m team of Joel Gurnsey, Safwan El Mansari, William Harris, and David Moulongou defied expectations. Entering the meet ranked fourth in the province, the quartet produced one of the performances of the weekend, running a blistering 3:19.99 to secure OUA silver, marking the best-ever finish for the program in the event.
In the throwing events, University of Ottawa record holder Jessica Gyamfi earned OUA silver in the women’s shot put with a best throw of 13.01 metres, securing her first OUA Championship medal. On the men’s side, Guelph’s Liam Davis captured OUA bronze in the weight throw with a mark of 15.98 metres, earning his first championship medal in his debut appearance at the event. Davis narrowly missed out on a second medal as his best effort of 14.63 metres in the shot put left him a mere four centimetres off the podium.
While not competing in any individual events, Cora McQuinn impressed in both the women’s 4x200m and 4x400m relays for the Western Mustangs. She ran a strong anchor leg in the 4x200m, propelling the team from third to second to clinch OUA silver. Just hours later, she led off for the 4x400m relay, earning her second relay silver of the night. McQuinn also earned a gold medal as the Mustangs took home the women’s team title in Windsor.
Elizabeth Vroom played a key role in Queen’s University’s success in the women’s 4×800-metre relay, leading the team to its third consecutive OUA bronze medal. Vroom produced the fastest split of the squad, clocking 2:14.85, as they posted a seasonal best of 9:11.06. The time should be enough to secure them a berth at the U SPORTS Championships.
Elizabeth Moreland etched her name into the University of Ottawa record books, breaking the school’s triple jump mark on Saturday. The fourth-year student exceeded or equalled the previous record five times, culminating in an 11.82-metre effort to finish fifth—her best placement at an OUA Championship.
The combined events produced a number of noteworthy performances. Kathryn Moreland and Vienna Courteau of the Gee-Gees shined in the women’s pentathlon finishing fourth and fifth respectively with lifetime best scores. Moreland reached 3531 points with personal bests in the 60-metre hurdles, long jump, and 800 metres, while Courteau’s score of 3495 points was fuelled by lifetime bests in every event except the high jump. Both performances have secured the women a spot at the U SPORTS Championship in two weeks time – the first time since 2011 the Gee-Gees have had multiple entries in the national event.
First year student Kyle Waldrum had an outstanding performance of his own in the men’s heptathlon. The University of Guelph student set four individual event bests on his way to a sixth place finish with 4764 points. Waldrum’s point total now ranks him eighth in Club history.
At the AUS Championships, University of New Brunswick’s Allison Dewar reached the podium, taking home bronze in the women’s 60-metre hurdles with a personal best time of 9.51 seconds. Dewar also picked up a gold medal as part of the Reds’ 4×200-metre team.
With conference championships concluded, many of these athletes now turn their focus to the upcoming U SPORTS Championships, where they will look to build on their success at the national level.
For updated Club and School Rankings:
Ottawa Lions
Ottawa Gee-Gees
Carleton Ravens
For photos from the Championships
OUA Championships
RSEQ Championships
