BCAC5125-799D-49FF-9314-E85E65BC9DC8

Robertson wins NACAC U23 steeplechase title

by Internationallinkinbio

Standing atop the podium, clad in red and white. The loud speakers belting out the best instrumental version of “O’ Canada”.  It’s the moment most athletes in Canada aspire to realise. On Sunday afternoon, standing inside the Estadio Nacional in San Jose, Costa Rica Kevin Robertson got his moment. 

Competing at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Under-23 Championships, Robertson took home top spot in the men’s 3000 metre steeplechase. The Syracuse University student won in a time of 9 minutes and 4.77 seconds – a comfortable six seconds ahead of his nearest competitor. 

True to form for championship running, Sunday’s pace was far behind Robertson’s Club U23 record of 8:37.26. However, as the bell rang to signal the final lap of the competition Robertson took off, unleashing a powerful kick that produced a closing lap of less than 60 seconds that cemented his victory. 

Also seeing action in the steeplechase was Derek Strachan, who was competing in the U18 NACAC Championship being held alongside the U23 event. Unfortunately for the 17-year-old, he was just one of two entrants in the men’s 2000 metre steeplechase – rendering the event an exhibition. The Glebe Collegiate student finished the event in a time of 6 minutes and 26.97 seconds – three seconds behind Jean Carlos Soza of Nicaragua.

On Saturday, David Adeleye lined up in the finals of the U23 men’s 110 metre hurdles event. The University of Toronto student would finish fifth in a time of 14.13 seconds – about two-tenths off his Club U23 record.

Both Adeleye and Robertson are scheduled to return to action this weekend at the Bell Canadian Track and Field Championships in Langley, BC. You’ll be able to follow all the action at home on athleticscanada.tv or via live results on live.athletics.ca.

(North York, Canada---15 July 2023) Connor Fraser of Ottawa Lions T.F.C. competing on day two of the Ontario U20/Open Track and Field Championships at the Toronto Track and Field Centre. Copyright 2023 Miles Ryan Rowat/ Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Lions take home 26 medals from Ontario Championships

by linkinbioProvincial

A downpour on Saturday was not enough to dampen the spirits of the Ottawa Lions. Competing at the Ontario U20/Open Track and Field Championships Saturday at the Toronto Track and Field Centre, Lions athletes amassed an impressive 26 medals, including 10 gold medals. 

In the team standings, the Lions amassed 178.5 points to finish second in the U20 Championship behind London Western. The senior squad garnered 144 points as they finished in third position.

An impressive 57 personal bests were set by Lions over the three day competition. Chief among those outstanding performances was Connor Fraser who put forward the best throws of his life to take spot in both the U20 shot put and discus. 

Fraser added more than a metre to his previous best in the shot put as he dropped the six kilogram ball out at 16.58 metres. In fact, each one of the Carleton University student’s measured exceeded his previous best heading into the competition. 

It was a case of last minute heroics in the discus for Fraser. Sitting in second for almost the entire competition, the 19-year-old unleashed a massive throw on his final effort, landing the 1.75kg platter out at 50.00 metres. His effort catapulted him into the gold medal position and London Western’s Jeremy Vandenboorn was unable to respond on the final throw of the competition. 

Sydney Smith and Elizabeth Vroom each repeated as Ontario Champions in Toronto. 

Smith narrowly edged out York University Track Club’s Sonia Gaskin by four hundredths of second to claim her second straight provincial 800 metre title. The 26-year-old stopped the clock at an eye popping 2 minutes and 3.76 seconds as she took nearly a full second off her previous lifetime best set at last year’s championship. 

Domination was the name of the game for Vroom. The Queen’s University student comfortably took top in the U20 women’s 2000 metre steeplechase in a time of 7 minutes and 5.05 seconds – 42 seconds ahead of second place. 

Stepping down in distance to 800 metres, Vroom added a bronze medal to her collection on the final day of the competition. A strong kick down the final home stretch pushed Vroom past a couple runners and on to the podium as she stopped the clock at a personal best time of 2:13.77. 

For Alexandra Telford and David Adeleye their respective hurdle wins over the weekend were career firsts for each athlete. 

Fresh off a flight from Belgium and a new lifetime best at 400 metres, Telford took quick control of the women’s 400 metre hurdle final. Coming off the final curve with a comfortable lead, the 27-year-old cruised home in a winning time of 1:00.19. The victory was Telford’s first individual gold medal at the Ontario Championships after five previous relay titles.

In Adeleye’s case, his victory in Saturday’s 110 metre hurdle final was the first Ontario Championship of any kind. The University of Toronto student came ever so close to breaking the 14 second barrier for the second time in his career as he stopped the clock in 14.01 seconds.

Lions athletes also added gold medals in the U20 men’s and Open Women’s 4×100 metre relays in addition to sweeping the Open Men’s and Women’s 4×800 metre events. 

Updated Club rankings can be found at https://milesrowat.shinyapps.io/ottl_rankings/

Meet results and pictures from the Ontario Championships can be found on our website.

World Para Athletics Championships, Paris 2023. July 9 2023. Bianca BORGELLA (CAN), 100m T13 heats

Borgella wins bronze at World Para Athletics Championship

by Internationallinkinbio

On July 7, 2021 we got a sneak peak of what the future had in store. That Wednesday evening in Ottawa at a Twilight Meet, Bianca Borgella broke the Canadian T13 record in the women’s 100 metres. It was her first time racing the distance in a Lions uniform and was the first in a string of Canadian records for the University of Ottawa student.

Today, Borgella added another title to her growing track resume – World Championship medalist. The 20-year-old sprinter placed third in the T13 100 metres with a time of 12.16 seconds at the World Para Athletics Championship taking place in Paris, France this week. 

“I’m really happy with the result,” said Borgella of today’s run. “Not the time that I was expecting, but as it being my first world, I’m just happy that I’m able to experience it and take home a bronze in the end.”

Bianca had entered the Championship as a medal favourite with her Canadian record time of 12.12 seconds from earlier this season topping the world rankings prior to the Championship. 

She would be knocked out of that spot in the rankings in Sunday’s semi-final when Azerbaijan’s Lamiya Valiyeva took top spot in 11.89 seconds with Borgella close behind in a new Canadian record of 12.03 seconds. 

For Borgella, today’s result appears to be just another stepping stone on her journey in athletics. 

“All I can do is my best for that day and hopefully the next day just be stronger and keep training and work harder. And one day bring back a gold in the 100.”

Borgella will return to action at the Championships early on Tuesday as she is scheduled to compete in the T13 200 metre semi-finals at 4:14am Eastern time.

For results, visit the International Paralympic Committee page.

The championships can be live streamed on the IPC YouTube page.

(Windsor, Canada---24 June 2023) Ottawa Lions team photo at the 2023 Johnny Loaring Classic held at the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario. Photograph Copyright 2023 Sean Burges / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Lions bring home medals and personal bests from Johnny Loaring Classic

by linkinbioNational

The distance from the Terry Fox Athletic Facility to the Windsor’s Alumni Stadium measures a touch under 800 kilometres. When you’re driving home, the surest way to make that trip seem a little shorter is by bringing home some top notch performances with. That’s just what the group of 17 Lions competing at this past weekend’s Johnny Loaring Classic did.

Combined, the Lions registered an impressive 12 seasonal bests, 7 personal bests and 3 all-time top 10 performances. 

Victoria McIntyre kicked the meet off in style by placing third in the open section of the women’s 100 metres. More importantly was McIntyre’s time of 12.02 seconds which erased a tenth of a second off her 10-year old personal best. 

However, that performance was simply an appetizer to the main event that was the open section of the women’s 200 metres, where McIntyre dominated the field – winning in a blazing time of 23.77 seconds. After dipping under the 24 second barrier for the first time, the 28-year-old sprinter rocketed up five spots to number five on the Club’s all-time list. 

With her performance on Saturday, McIntyre is currently ranked 17th in the country over 200 metres and she has some company on those national rankings. 

Lauren Gale moved atop the national ranking Saturday following her win in the elite section of the women’s 200 metres. Club record holder in the event, Gale produced a seasonal best time of 23.17 seconds to take the win. The 2021 Olympian also produced a seasonal best effort of 11.69 seconds in the heats of the elite 100 metres before posting a windy 11.60 clocking to finish third in the final.

It was a windy 100 metre final for Bianca Borgella, but that didn’t stop the visually impaired runner from taking top spot in the para ambulatory section. Borgella equalled her personal best time of 12.12 seconds in victory, but unfortunately for her the tail wind exceeded the allowable two metres per second. 

A pair of personal best performances came out of the men’s and women’s 400 metre hurdle events. Alexandra Telford trimmed more than half a second off her previous best in the event as she placed fifth in a time of 58.74 seconds. She remains in fourth place on the Club’s all-time rankings.

David Moulongou’s hurdle performance on Saturday pushed him inside the top-10 rankings. The University of Ottawa student-athlete crossed the line in a time of 52.52 seconds to place eighth in a strong field that saw three men dip under 50 seconds. Moulongou’s time is the eighth fastest ever in the Club for the one lap hurdle race. 

Back-to-back personal bests was what was on the menu Saturday afternoon for André Alie-Lamarche. The middle distance runner ran his second successive personal best at 1500 metres, as he took the top spot in the open men’s section in an impressive time of 3 minutes and 47.60 seconds. Alie-Lamarche, coming off a personal best effort of 3:48.10 three days prior at the Inferno, now moves into 22nd on a very deep Club 1500 metre list.

Finally, Maria Okwechime took third place in the elite women’s long jump. Despite incurring a small hamstring irritation in the warm, Okwechime did manage to leap out to a distance of 5.85 metres – the second farthest distance of her career.

For updated Club rankings, please visit https://milesrowat.shinyapps.io/ottl_rankings/

(Langley, British Columbia ---25 June 2022) Lauren Gale competing on day four of the Canadian Track and Field Championships at McLeod Athletic Park. Photograph 2022 Copyright Miles Ryan Rowat / Mundo Sport Images

Gale sets new Twilight record

by linkinbioLocal

A Twilight Meet Record, a number five all-time performance, and nearly 70 personal bests. If you said “What are three things that happened last night,” you would be right.

With our squad split between hosting the third Twilight Meet of the summer and competing in the Royal City Inferno, the Lions put up a great series of performances.

Kicking off the night in style was Lauren Gale as she opened the Twilight #3 with a meet record at 400 metres in her season opener at the distance. The Club record holder crossed the line in 53.28 seconds to best the previous standard of 53.52 set by Windsor’s Nicole Sassine in 2016. Finishing in second was OFSAA champion Quinn Coughlin in 57.88 seconds. 

Also in Ottawa, one of the Club’s newest members, Malachi Kenny made a dazzling debut as he took top spot in the men’s 800 metres. Covering the two lap distance in 1:57.24, Kenny bested his junior boys winning time from the recent OFSAA Track and Field Championships. The Bishop Smith student’s time is the sixth fastest in Club history by a U17 athlete.

In Guelph, Sydney Smith ran a new personal best over 800 metres to move into fifth on the Club’s all-time list. The University of Ottawa graduate found herself in a field akin to a national final and rose to the occasion, crossing the line in 2 minutes and 4.75 seconds. Her time is now ranked 10th in Canada this year.

At 1500 metres, André Alie-Lamarche bettered his near year old personal best with his ninth place finish at the Inferno. Alie-Lamarche stopped the clock at 3 minutes and 48.10 seconds – exactly a tenth of a second faster than his previous best set at last season’s Canadian Track and Field League Final. He now ranks 24th in Club history.

For updated Club Rankings, please visit https://milesrowat.shinyapps.io/ottl_rankings/

20230615_Next_Gen_Team_Announcement

Four Lions named to Team Canada

by Internationallinkinbio

Summer plans for Derek Strachan, David Adeleye, Kevin Robertson, and John McGowan all now include a trip down south. The four gentlemen were included among the 57 athletes named by Athletics Canada’s to represent the red and white at the NACAC U18 and U23 Championships in Costa Rica as well as the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago. 

Strachan will be Canada’s lone steeplechaser at the NACAC U18 Championships. The Glebe student qualified by way of his personal best effort this past weekend at the OFSAA Track and Field Championships. A grade 11 student, Strachan placed fifth in the 2000 metre steeplechase event on Friday in a time of 6 minutes and 11.57 seconds. Strachan becomes the Club’s first steeplechaser to be named to a national Under-18 team.

Joining Strachan in Costa Rica will be Adeleye and Robertson. For both athletes, this will not be the first time either has donned the red and white in international competition, although it will be a first for each on the track. 

Adeleye, who will race the 110 metre hurdles in Costa Rica, is no stranger to international competition having represented Canada in 2019 as a member of the national Under-18 rugby squad. The University of Toronto student is coming off a strong indoor season that saw him set a new Club U23 record in the 60 metre hurdles. More recently, Adeleye dropped a personal best run of 13.92 seconds late last month at the Bob Vigars Classic.

The last time Kevin Robertson put on a Team Canada singlet he was battling difficult terrain at the Pan Am Cross Country Championships. This time, he’ll only have to contend with some barriers and a water pit as he lines up in the 3000 metre steeplechase. Robertson, a junior at Syracuse, is coming off an outstanding collegiate season where he earned All-American status following his 12th place finish at the NCAA Championships. In addition, Robertson set a new Club U23 record earlier this spring with an impressive 8:37.26 clocking.

Rounding out the list of national team members is John McGowan, who is headed to the island of Trinidad and Tobago to run the 100 metres at the Commonwealth Youth Games. A grade 11 student at St. Michael’s in Kemptville, McGowan qualified for the team by virtue of his winning 10.75 clocking at the East Regional High School Championship. McGowan, who had a best of 11.55 seconds entering the 2023 season, recently finished fifth at the OFSAA Track and Field Championships.

The NACAC U18/U23 Championships are scheduled for July 21-23 in San Jose while the Commonwealth Youth Games will run from August 4 to 11 in Port of Spain.

(Ottawa, Canada---10 June 2023) Quinn Coughlin of Opeongo - Cobden competes in the intermediate hurdles at the 2023 OFSAA Ontario High School Track and Field Championships. Photograph Copyright 2023 Sean Burges / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Lions bring home 14 medals from OFSAA Track and Field Championships

by High SchoollinkinbioProvincial

Three days of competition and more than 2200 athletes means only one thing in the province of Ontario – OFSAA Track and Field. For the first time in 16 years the Championships returned to Ottawa and the performances put forward by our own local contingent certainly rose to the occasion. In total, Lions athletes took home 14 medals from OFSAA, half of them gold. 

Arnprior’s Louise Stonham kick started the medal haul with a gold in the open girls 2000 metre steeplechase. The grade 12 student led from start to finish as she crossed the line in a seasonal best time of 7:02.80.

Jorai Oppong-Nketiah is a name you will want to remember. The grade nine student at Pierre-de-Blois became just the fourth athlete in Club history to ever complete the sprint double at OFSAA taking top spot in both the 100 and 200 metre events. Running just off her personal best times from the week before, Jorai crossed the line in times of 12.34 and 25.17 seconds respectively. 

Before the championship, if you were asked for similarities between Quinn Coughlin and Zachary Jeggo you may have been at a loss. Following OFSAA the answer was a little bit clearer as the pair swept the boys and girls 300 metre hurdles and 400 metres.

Coughlin enjoyed a breakthrough performance in the 400 metre heats as she set a new lifetime best of 56.77 seconds and followed it up in the final with a 56.89 run for the gold. In the hurdles, which are a new event for Coughlin this season, the Opeongo student crossed the line in 43.69 seconds to win by nearly a second. The personal best performance moved the 16 year old into fourth on the Club’s all-time rankings in the event. 

Similarly, it was a pair of outstanding performances that lifted Jeggo to the top of the provincial podium. While he fell just short of his personal best over 400 metres, the Louis-Riel student’s run of 49.70 seconds was still more than three quarters of a second faster than his nearest competitor. He would return a day later to best himself as he smashed his previous best in the 300 metre hurdles with a 39.29 second clocking. 

While Timeo Atonfo didn’t manage to bring home a gold medal, the Gisele-Lalonde student did something few in the Club have done before. The grade 10 student picked up a silver in the junior boys long jump as well as a pair of bronzes in the triple jump and 100 metre hurdles. The three medal haul meant Atonfo became just the 12th athlete in Club history to accomplish the feat. 

The remaining OFSAA medalists were Ingrid Moreau (JG 4x100m silver), Grace Streek (JG 3000m silver),  Maddie Seaby (SG 3000m bronze), Ange-Mathis Kramo (NB 200m silver), and Daniel Cova (JB 1500m bronze)

For full results from OFSAA, visit https://ottawalions.com/results/2023-results/2023-ofsaa-track-and-field-championships/

For updated Club rankings, visit https://milesrowat.shinyapps.io/ottl_rankings/

Club results from OFSAA are included below for your convenience.

Novice Girls 100m – Jorai Oppong-Nketiah (Pierre-de-Blois) 12.34 – Gold

Novice Girls 200m – Jorai Oppong-Nketiah (Pierre-de-Blois) 25.17 – Gold

Novice Girls 400m – Shannon Dewar (St. Francis) 1:02.16 – 15th

Novice Girls 400m – Meredith McCabe (Lisgar) 1:01.07 – 8th

Novice Girls 800m – Kyra Lauter (Franco-Ouest) 2:33.67 – 16th

Novice Girls 1500m – Julia Van Wesenbeeck (Glebe) 5:05.34 – 18th

Novice Girls 1500m – Kyra Lauter (Franco-Ouest) 5:11.92 – 19th

Novice Girls 3000m – Julia Van Wesenbeeck (Glebe) 11:16.57 – 13th

Novice Girls 3000m – Evelyn Davies (Immaculata) 11:54.84 – 22th

Novice Girls 4x100m – Odelia Niangoran (Holy Trinity) DQ

Novice Girls 4x100m – Cate O’Brien (Holy Trinity) DQ

Novice Girls 4x100m – Ingrid Andersen (Holy Trinity) DQ

Novice Girls Long Jump – Charlotte Carr (Cornwall) 4.12m – 21th

Junior Girls 100m – Amy LeBlanc (St. Francis) 12.95 – 13th

Junior Girls 100m – Kaiya Woodcock (Sacred Heart) 12.94 – 6th

Junior Girls 200m – Amy LeBlanc (St. Francis) 26.52 – 11th

Junior Girls 200m – Lecia Patrick (Ashbury) 26.12 – 8th

Junior Girls 400m – Molly Barber (Nepean) 1:00.60 – 14th

Junior Girls 400m – Sophia McIntyre (St. Francis) 1:02.90 – 22th

Junior Girls 400m – Quinn Coughlin (Opeongo) 56.89 – Gold

Junior Girls 800m – Molly Barber (Nepean) 2:19.35 – 9th

Junior Girls 800m – Ciara Villeneuve (Paul-Desmarais) 2:18.69 – 5th

Junior Girls 1500m – Grace Streek (Peak Centre) 4:41.33 – 5th

Junior Girls 1500m – Ciara Villeneuve (Paul-Desmarais) 4:43.86 – 8th

Junior Girls 3000m – Grace Streek (Peak Centre) 10:14.94 – Silver

Junior Girls 3000m – Kate Johnston-Zemek (Ashbury) 10:52.71 – 8th

Junior Girls 80m Hurdles – Jamie Hennessy (Sydenham) 12.72 – 9th

Junior Girls 80m Hurdles – Stella Humeniuk (Nepean) 13.13 – 17th

Junior Girls 300m Hurdles – Quinn Coughlin (Opeongo) 43.69 – Gold

Junior Girls 4x100m – Ingrid Moreau (Merivale) 50.73 – Silver

Junior Girls 4x100m – Lecia Patrick (Ashbury) 52.73 – 10th

Junior Girls 4x100m – Lei-Lei Fan-Saschenbrecker (Sacred Heart) 53.24 – 16th

Junior Girls 4x100m – Kaiya Woodcock (Sacred Heart) 53.24 – 16th

Junior Girls High Jump – Waverley Lyons (Glebe) 1.50m – 7th

Junior Girls Pole Vault – Balqis Chouikhi (Sir Wilfrid) 2.90m – 4th

Junior Girls Long Jump – Lecia Patrick (Ashbury) 5.35m – 4th

Junior Girls Long Jump – Kaiya Woodcock (Sacred Heart) 4.92m – 9th

Junior Girls Triple Jump – Lecia Patrick (Ashbury) 11.03m – 4th

Senior Girls 100m – Danica Mulvihill (Louis-Riel) 12.89 – 15th

Senior Girls 200m – Tatiana Pender (Franco-Ouest) 26.68 – 18th

Senior Girls 400m – Koree Yach (Arnprior) 1:00.81 – 17th

Senior Girls 400m – Andie Harris (John McCrae) 1:00.94 – 18th

Senior Girls 400m – Tatiana Pender (Franco-Ouest) 1:01.06 – 19th

Senior Girls 800m – Jocelyn Giannotti (Holy Trinity) 2:17.57 – 11th

Senior Girls 800m – Lauren Alexander (Glebe) 2:20.38 – 15th

Senior Girls 1500m – Maddie Seaby (Carleton Place) 4:41.40 – 10th

Senior Girls 1500m – Lauren Alexander (Glebe) 4:47.96 – 16th

Senior Girls 3000m – Maddie Seaby (Carleton Place) 9:56.79 – Bronze

Senior Girls 3000m – Olivia Baggley (Gloucester) 10:20.91 – 10th

Senior Girls 3000m – Louise Stonham (Arnprior) 10:24.36 – 12th

Senior Girls 100m Hurdles – Danica Mulvihill (Louis-Riel) 16.09 – 15th

Senior Girls 400m Hurdles – Koree Yach (Arnprior) 1:06.26 – 9th

Senior Girls 400m Hurdles – Sophie Trott (Glebe) 1:11.17 – 16th

Senior Girls Pole Vault – Meg Varden (Cairine Wilson) J2.40m – 10th

Senior Girls Long Jump – Adelle MacLeod (AY Jackson) 4.67m – 21th

Senior Girls Triple Jump – Adelle MacLeod (AY Jackson) 10.71m – 15th

Senior Girls Javelin – Elise Katsube (Sir Robert Borden) 32.98m – 9th

Open Girls 2000m Steeplechase – Louise Stonham (Arnprior) 7:02.80 – Gold

Open Girls 4x400m – Louise Stonham (Arnprior) 4:09.19 – 12th

Open Girls 4x400m – Koree Yach (Arnprior) 4:09.19 – 12th

Open Girls 4x400m – Sophie Trott (Glebe) 4:12.60 – 15th

Open Girls 4x400m – Lauren Alexander (Glebe) 4:12.60 – 15th

Novice Boys 100m – Ange-Mathis Kramo (Paul-Desmarais) 11.54 – 7th

Novice Boys 100m – Connor England (North Dundas) 12.05 – 20th

Novice Boys 200m – Ange-Mathis Kramo (Paul-Desmarais) 22.45 – Silver

Novice Boys 200m – Connor England (North Dundas) 24.11 – 18th

Novice Boys 200m – Xavier Jeglic (St. Pius X) 24.19 – 20th

Novice Boys 1500m – Austin Walker (Colonel By) 4:23.82 – 14th

Novice Boys 3000m – Charlie Mortimer (Hillcrest) 9:37.25 – 13th

Novice Boys Long Jump – Eli Mordel (SirRobert Borden) 5.85m – 9th

Junior Boys 100m – Matteo Nicolini (Ashbury) 11.81 – 21th

Junior Boys 400m – Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel) 49.70 – Gold

Junior Boys 800m – Daniel Cova (Louis-Riel) 2:01.33 – 6th

Junior Boys 1500m – Daniel Cova (Louis-Riel) 4:02.79 – Bronze

Junior Boys 1500m – Saul Taler (Glebe) 4:18.36 – 12th

Junior Boys 3000m – Saul Taler (Glebe) 9:14.51 – 6th

Junior Boys 3000m – Noah Smith (Immaculata) 9:36.46 – 16th

Junior Boys 100m Hurdles – Jonah Gratton (La Citadelle) 15.05 – 9th

Junior Boys 100m Hurdles – Timeo Atonfo (Gisèle-Lalonde) 13.71 – Bronze

Junior Boys 300m Hurdles – Mason Brennan (Colonel By) 41.62 – 9th

Junior Boys 300m Hurdles – Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel) 39.29 – Gold

Junior Boys 300m Hurdles – Jonah Gratton (La Citadelle) 41.49 – 4th

Junior Boy 4x100m – Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel) 44.93 – 6th

Junior Boy 4x100m – Matteo Nicolini (Ashbury) 45.20 – 8th

Junior Boys 4x100m – Francis Mullowney (Colonel By) 45.66 – 12th

Junior Boys 4x100m – Mason Brennan (Colonel By) 45.66 – 12th

Junior Boys 4x100m – Joshua Haughton (Immaculata) 46.16- 15th

Junior Boys 4x100m – Brody Fraser (Immaculata) 46.16- 15th

Junior Boys Pole Vault – Owen Tyo (Char-Lan) J3.30m – 5th

Junior Boys Long Jump – Owen Whike (Glebe) 3.00m – 12th

Junior Boys Long Jump – Timeo Atonfo (Gisèle-Lalonde) 6.84m – Bronze

Junior Boys Triple Jump – Timeo Atonfo (Gisèle-Lalonde) 13.81m – Silver

Junior Boys Triple Jump – Kai Gibson (Longfields) J12.19m – 13th

Junior Boys Discus – Jack Mines (Char-Lan) 48.60m – 7th

Senior Boys 100m – John McGowan (St. Michael) 10.99 – 5th

Senior Boys 200m – William Sanders (Mother Teresa) 22.65 – 12th

Senior Boys 400m – William Sanders (Mother Teresa) 50.12 – 10th

Senior Boys 400m – Nolan Legare (John McCrae) 50.70 – 16th

Senior Boys 400m – Safwan El Mansari (De La Salle) 51.33 – 18th

Senior Boys 400m – Ethan Lavictoire (St. Joseph) 52.29 – 21th

Senior Boys 800m – Nicolas Belan (Canterbury) 1:58.54 – 12th

Senior Boys 1500m – Nicolas Belan (Canterbury) 4:00.88 – 6th

Senior Boys 400m Hurdles – Eric Zielonka (Brookfield) 57.95 – 7th

Senior Boys 400m Hurdles – Nathaniel McNeil (St. Peter – O) 1:01.47 – 19th

Senior Boys 4x100m – Logan Reid (Merivale) 44.80 – 8th

Senior Boys 4x100m – Beckham Tapp (West Carleton) 44.31 – 9th

Open Boys 2000m Steeplechase – Derek Strachan (Glebe) 6:11.57 – 5th

Open Boys 4x400m – Matteo Nicolini (Ashbury) 3:37.71 – 20th

(Ottawa, Canada —02 June 2023) Zachary Jeggo of Louis-Riel - Ottawa competing on Day 2 of the 2023 East Regional High School Track and Field Championships at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility © 2023 Miles Ryan Rowat/Mundo Sport Images If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

71 Lions Qualify for OFSAA Track and Field Championships

by High Schoollinkinbio

When the Ontario high school track and field championships begin Thursday at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, 71 Lions will be in action representing their respective high school teams in individual events and relays. 

Athletes qualified for the championship by virtue of finishing among the top four in their respective event at last week’s East Regional High School Championships. 

Lions athletes captured an impressive 71 medals in individual events and added a further 10 in the relays. 

Topping the medal haul was Louis-Riel’s Zachary Jeggo who won a trio of gold medals, a bronze, and even broke a pair of meet records. The grade 10 student dominated the junior boys 400 metre field, winning in 50.17 seconds – more than two seconds clear of second place. The performance also bested Mike Robertson’s 18-year-old record of 50.39.

Jeggo’s other record came as a member of Louis-Riel’s junior boys 4×100 metre relay. The Rebels got the stick around Terry Fox in 44.86 seconds to take 0.22 seconds off the previous standard set by Thousand Islands Secondary School. 

The final gold for Jeggo came in the 300 metre hurdles, where he won handily in 39.80 seconds. For good measure, he also added a bronze in the 200 metres.

Gisele-Lalonde’s Timeo Atonfo and Opeongo’s Quinn Coughlin were the only two athletes to take home a trio of individual golds. Both athletes also broke meet records along the way. 

Atonfo twice broke the meet record in the junior boys 100 metre hurdles. In the heats he crossed the line in 13.90 seconds to trim a hundredth of a second off the previous best before bettering that effort in the final with a winning run of 13.76 seconds. 

In the field, Atonfo swept the horizontal jumps with efforts of 6.48 and 13.57 metres respectively in the long and triple jump.

For Coughlin, she easily disposed of Sarah Jackson’s nine year old junior girls 300 metre hurdle record. The Opeongo student’s time of 44.32 seconds took nearly three tenths off the former Lion’s mark, and left her more than three seconds clear of the rest of the field in Thursday’s race.

Coming back on Friday, Coughlin pulled off a difficult 400/800 double within a matter of a few hours. Over 800 metres, Quinn used her 400 speed to run away from the field on the second of the lap to win in 2 minutes and 21.48 seconds. 

The one lap race saw Coughlin jet out of the blocks, making up the stagger on the full field well within the first 200 metres. Pushing right through to the finish, she finished more than two seconds clear of the field, producing a winning time of 57.95 seconds. 

Finally, Arnprior’s Koree Yach may be the busiest woman of the OFSAA Championships. The grade 11 student qualified for the provincial meet in no less than five events at Regionals. A winner of the senior girls 400 metre hurdles, Yach also helped Arnprior to a bronze in the open girls 4×400 metre relay. She also added a trio of fourth place finishes in the 400 and 800 metres as well as the senior girls 4×100 metres. 

Bellow is a list of Lions qualifiers for OFSAA:

Adelle MacLeod (AY Jackson)  – Senior Girls Long Jump (4th)
Adelle MacLeod (AY Jackson)  – Senior Girls Triple Jump (Bronze)
Amy LeBlanc (St. Francis)  – Junior Girls 100m (Bronze)
Amy LeBlanc (St. Francis)  – Junior Girls 200m (4th)
Andie Harris (John McCrae)  – Senior Girls 400m (Silver)
Ange-Mathis Kramo (Paul-Desmarais) – Novice Boys 100m (Gold)
Ange-Mathis Kramo (Paul-Desmarais) – Novice Boys 200m (Gold)
Austin Walker (Colonel By)  – Novice Boys 1500m (4th)
Balqis Chouikhi (Sir Wilfird)  – Junior Girls Pole Vault (4th)
Beckham Tapp (West Carleton)  – Senior Boys  4×100 (Silver)
Brody Fraser (Immaculata)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (Silver)
Cate O’Brien (Holy Trinity)  – Novice Girls  4×100 (4th)
Charlie Mortimer (Hillcrest)  – Novice Boys 3000m (Bronze)
Charlotte Carr (Cornwall)  – Novice Girls Long Jump (Silver)
Ciara Villeneuve (Paul-Desmarais)  – Junior Girls 1500m (Silver)
Ciara Villeneuve (Paul-Desmarais)  – Junior Girls 800m (4th)
Connor England (North Dundas)  – Novice Boys 100m (Bronze)
Connor England (North Dundas)  – Novice Boys 200m (Bronze)
Danica Mulvihill (Louis-Riel)  – Senior Girls 100m (Gold)
Danica Mulvihill (Louis-Riel)  – Senior Girls 100m Hurdles (Bronze)
Daniel Cova (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys 1500m (Bronze)
Daniel Cova (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys 800m (Silver)
Derek Strachan (Glebe)  – Open Boys 2000m Steeplechase (Silver)
Eli Mordel (Sir RobertBorden)  – Novice Boys Long Jump (Silver)
Elise Katsube (Sir RobertBorden)  – Senior Girls Javelin (Gold)
Eric Zielonka (Brookfield)  – Senior Boys 400m Hurdles (Silver)
Ethan Lavictoire (St. Joseph)  – Senior Boys 400m (4th)
Evelyn Davies (Immaculata)  – Novice Girls 3000m (4th)
Francis Mullowney (Colonel By)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (Bronze)
Grace Streek (Peak Centre)  – Junior Girls 1500m (Bronze)
Grace Streek (Peak Centre)  – Junior Girls 3000m (Silver)
Ingrid Andersen (Holy Trinity)  – Novice Girls  4×100 (4th)
Ingrid Moreau (Merivale)  – Junior Girls  4×100 (Gold)
Jack Mines (Char-Lan)  – Junior Boys Javelin (4th)
Jamie Hennessy (Sydenham)  – Junior Girls 100m Hurdles (Silver)
Jay Yetman (Glebe)  – Senior Boys 200m (Silver)
Jay Yetman (Glebe)  – Senior Boys Long Jump (4th)
Jocelyn Giannotti (Holy Trinity)  – Senior Girls 800m (Gold)
John McGowan (St. Michael)  – Senior Boys 100m (Gold)
Jonah Gratton (La Citadelle)  – Junior Boys 100m Hurdles (4th)
Jonah Gratton (La Citadelle)  – Junior Boys 300m Hurdles (Silver)
Jorai Oppong-Nketiah (Pierre-de-Blois)  – Novice Girls 100m (Gold)
Jorai Oppong-Nketiah (Pierre-de-Blois)  – Novice Girls 200m (Gold)
Joshua Haughton (Immaculata)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (Silver)
Julia Van Wesenbeeck (Glebe)  – Novice Girls 1500m (4th)
Julia Van Wesenbeeck (Glebe)  – Novice Girls 3000m (Bronze)
Kai Gibson (Longfields)  – Junior Boys Triple Jump (Silver)
Kaiya Woodcock (Sacred Heart)  – Junior Girls  4×100 (Bronze)
Kaiya Woodcock (Sacred Heart)  – Junior Girls 100m (Gold)
Kaiya Woodcock (Sacred Heart)  – Junior Girls Long Jump (Gold)
Kate Johnston-Zemek (Ashbury)  – Junior Girls 30000m (Bronze)
Koree Yach (Arnprior)  – Open Girls  4×400 (Bronze)
Koree Yach (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls  4×100 (4th)
Koree Yach (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls 400m (4th)
Koree Yach (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls 400m Hurdles (Gold)
Koree Yach (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls 800m (4th)
Kyra Lauter (Franco-Ouest)  – Novice Girls 1500m (Bronze)
Kyra Lauter (Franco-Ouest)  – Novice Girls 800m (Bronze)
Lauren Alexander (Glebe)  – Open Girls  4×400 (Gold)
Lauren Alexander (Glebe)  – Senior Girls 800m (Bronze)
Lecia Patrick (Ashbury)  – Junior Girls  4×100 (Silver)
Lecia Patrick (Ashbury)  – Junior Girls 200m (Silver)
Lecia Patrick (Ashbury)  – Junior Girls Long Jump (4th)
Lecia Patrick (Ashbury)  – Junior Girls Triple Jump (Gold)
Lei-Lei Fan-Saschenbrecker (Sacred Heart)  – Junior Girls  4×100 (Bronze)
Logan Reid (Merivale)  – Senior Boys  4×100 (Bronze)
Louise Stonham (Arnprior)  – Open Girls  4×400 (Bronze)
Louise Stonham (Arnprior)  – Open Girls 2000m Steeplechase (Gold)
Louise Stonham (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls 1500m (4th)
Louise Stonham (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls 3000m (Bronze)
Maddie Seaby (Carleton Place) – Senior Girls 1500m (Silver)
Maddie Seaby (Carleton Place) – Senior Girls 3000m (Gold)
Mason Brennan (Colonel By)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (Bronze)
Mason Brennan (Colonel By)  – Junior Boys 100m Hurdles (Silver)
Mason Brennan (Colonel By)  – Junior Boys 300m Hurdles (Bronze)
Matteo Nicolini (Ashbury)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (4th)
Matteo Nicolini (Ashbury)  – Junior Boys 100m (4th)
Matteo Nicolini (Ashbury)  – Open Boys  4×400 (4th)
Meg Varden (Cairine Wilson)  – Senior Girls Pole Vault (4th)
Meredith McCabe (Lisgar)  – Novice Girls 400m (Gold)
Molly Barber (Nepean)  – Junior Girls 400m (Silver)
Molly Barber (Nepean)  – Junior Girls 800m (Silver)
Nathaniel McNeil (St. Peter)  – Senior Boys 400m Hurdles (Bronze)
Nicolas Belan (Canterbury)  – Senior Boys 1500m (Bronze)
Nicolas Belan (Canterbury)  – Senior Boys 800m (Gold)
Noah Smith (Immaculata)  – Junior Boys 3000m (Bronze)
Nolan Legare (John McCrae)  – Senior Boys 400m (Silver)
Odelia Niangoran (Holy Trinity)  – Novice Girls  4×100 (4th)
Olivia Baggley (Gloucester)  – Senior Girls 3000m (Silver)
Owen Tyo (Char-Lan)  – Junior Boys Pole Vault (Silver)
Owen Whike (Glebe)  – Junior Boys Pole Vault (Bronze)
Quinn Coughlin (Opeongo)  – Junior Girls 300m Hurdles (Gold)
Quinn Coughlin (Opeongo)  – Junior Girls 400m (Gold)
Quinn Coughlin (Opeongo)  – Junior Girls 800m (Gold)
Safwan El Mansari (De La Salle)  – Senior Boys 400m (Bronze)
Saul Taler (Glebe)  – Junior Boys 1500m (4th)
Saul Taler (Glebe)  – Junior Boys 3000m (Silver)
Shannon Dewar (St. Francis)  – Novice Girls 400m (4th)
Sophia McIntyre (St. Francis)  – Junior Girls 400m (4th)
Sophie Trott (Glebe)  – Open Girls  4×400 (Gold)
Sophie Trott (Glebe)  – Senior Girls 400m Hurdles (4th)
Stella Humeniuk (Nepean)  – Junior Girls 100m Hurdles (4th)
Tatiana Pender (Franco-Ouest)  – Senior Girls 200m (Silver)
Tatiana Pender (Franco-Ouest)  – Senior Girls 400m (Bronze)
Timeo Atonfo (Gisèle-Lalonde)  – Junior Boys 100m Hurdles (Gold)
Timeo Atonfo (Gisèle-Lalonde)  – Junior Boys Long Jump (Gold)
Timeo Atonfo (Gisèle-Lalonde)  – Junior Boys Triple Jump (Gold)
Waverley Lyons (Glebe)  – Junior Girls High Jump (Gold)
William Sanders (St.Mother Teresa)  – Senior Boys 200m (Bronze)
William Sanders (St.Mother Teresa)  – Senior Boys 400m (Gold)
Xavier Jeglic (St. Pius X)  – Novice Boys 200m (4th)
Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (Gold)
Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys 200m (Bronze)
Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys 300m Hurdles (Gold)
Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys 400m (Gold)
Jorai Oppong-Nketiah (Pierre-de-Blois)  – Novice Girls 100m (Gold)
Jorai Oppong-Nketiah (Pierre-de-Blois)  – Novice Girls 200m (Gold)
Meredith McCabe (Lisgar)  – Novice Girls 400m (Gold)
Shannon Dewar (St. Francis)  – Novice Girls 400m (4th)
Kyra Lauter (Franco-Ouest)  – Novice Girls 800m (Bronze)
Kyra Lauter (Franco-Ouest)  – Novice Girls 1500m (Bronze)
Julia Van Wesenbeeck (Glebe)  – Novice Girls 1500m (4th)
Julia Van Wesenbeeck (Glebe)  – Novice Girls 3000m (Bronze)
Evelyn Davies (Immaculata)  – Novice Girls 3000m (4th)
Charlotte Carr (Cornwall)  – Novice Girls Long Jump (Silver)
Kaiya Woodcock (Sacred Heart)  – Junior Girls 100m (Gold)
Amy LeBlanc (St. Francis)  – Junior Girls 100m (Bronze)
Lecia Patrick (Ashbury)  – Junior Girls 200m (Silver)
Amy LeBlanc (St. Francis)  – Junior Girls 200m (4th)
Quinn Coughlin (Opeongo)  – Junior Girls 400m (Gold)
Molly Barber (Nepean)  – Junior Girls 400m (Silver)
Sophia McIntyre (St. Francis)  – Junior Girls 400m (4th)
Quinn Coughlin (Opeongo)  – Junior Girls 800m (Gold)
Molly Barber (Nepean)  – Junior Girls 800m (Silver)
Ciara Villeneuve (Paul-Desmarais)  – Junior Girls 800m (4th)
Ciara Villeneuve (Paul-Desmarais)  – Junior Girls 1500m (Silver)
Grace Streek (Peak Centre)  – Junior Girls 1500m (Bronze)
Grace Streek (Peak Centre)  – Junior Girls 3000m (Silver)
Kate Johnston-Zemek (Ashbury)  – Junior Girls 30000m (Bronze)
Jamie Hennessy (Sydenham)  – Junior Girls 100m Hurdles (Silver)
Stella Humeniuk (Nepean)  – Junior Girls 100m Hurdles (4th)
Quinn Coughlin (Opeongo)  – Junior Girls 300m Hurdles (Gold)
Waverley Lyons (Glebe)  – Junior Girls High Jump (Gold)
Balqis Chouikhi (Sir Wilfird)  – Junior Girls Pole Vault (4th)
Kaiya Woodcock (Sacred Heart)  – Junior Girls Long Jump (Gold)
Lecia Patrick (Ashbury)  – Junior Girls Long Jump (4th)
Lecia Patrick (Ashbury)  – Junior Girls Triple Jump (Gold)
Danica Mulvihill (Louis-Riel)  – Senior Girls 100m (Gold)
Tatiana Pender (Franco-Ouest)  – Senior Girls 200m (Silver)
Andie Harris (John McCrae)  – Senior Girls 400m (Silver)
Tatiana Pender (Franco-Ouest)  – Senior Girls 400m (Bronze)
Koree Yach (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls 400m (4th)
Jocelyn Giannotti (Holy Trinity)  – Senior Girls 800m (Gold)
Lauren Alexander (Glebe)  – Senior Girls 800m (Bronze)
Koree Yach (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls 800m (4th)
Louise Stonham (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls 1500m (4th)
Olivia Baggley (Gloucester)  – Senior Girls 3000m (Silver)
Louise Stonham (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls 3000m (Bronze)
Danica Mulvihill (Louis-Riel)  – Senior Girls 100m Hurdles (Bronze)
Koree Yach (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls 400m Hurdles (Gold)
Sophie Trott (Glebe)  – Senior Girls 400m Hurdles (4th)
Meg Varden (Cairine Wilson)  – Senior Girls Pole Vault (4th)
Adelle MacLeod (AY Jackson)  – Senior Girls Long Jump (4th)
Adelle MacLeod (AY Jackson)  – Senior Girls Triple Jump (Bronze)
Elise Katsube (Sir RobertBorden)  – Senior Girls Javelin (Gold)
Louise Stonham (Arnprior)  – Open Girls 2000m Steeplechase (Gold)
Connor England (North Dundas)  – Novice Boys 100m (Bronze)
Connor England (North Dundas)  – Novice Boys 200m (Bronze)
Xavier Jeglic (St. Pius X)  – Novice Boys 200m (4th)
Austin Walker (Colonel By)  – Novice Boys 1500m (4th)
Charlie Mortimer (Hillcrest)  – Novice Boys 3000m (Bronze)
Eli Mordel (Sir RobertBorden)  – Novice Boys Long Jump (Silver)
Matteo Nicolini (Ashbury)  – Junior Boys 100m (4th)
Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys 200m (Bronze)
Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys 400m (Gold)
Daniel Cova (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys 800m (Silver)
Daniel Cova (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys 1500m (Bronze)
Saul Taler (Glebe)  – Junior Boys 1500m (4th)
Saul Taler (Glebe)  – Junior Boys 3000m (Silver)
Noah Smith (Immaculata)  – Junior Boys 3000m (Bronze)
Timeo Atonfo (Gisèle-Lalonde)  – Junior Boys 100m Hurdles (Gold)
Mason Brennan (Colonel By)  – Junior Boys 100m Hurdles (Silver)
Jonah Gratton (La Citadelle)  – Junior Boys 100m Hurdles (4th)
Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys 300m Hurdles (Gold)
Jonah Gratton (La Citadelle)  – Junior Boys 300m Hurdles (Silver)
Mason Brennan (Colonel By)  – Junior Boys 300m Hurdles (Bronze)
Owen Tyo (Char-Lan)  – Junior Boys Pole Vault (Silver)
Owen Whike (Glebe)  – Junior Boys Pole Vault (Bronze)
Timeo Atonfo (Gisèle-Lalonde)  – Junior Boys Long Jump (Gold)
Timeo Atonfo (Gisèle-Lalonde)  – Junior Boys Triple Jump (Gold)
Kai Gibson (Longfields)  – Junior Boys Triple Jump (Silver)
Jack Mines (Char-Lan)  – Junior Boys Javelin (4th)
John McGowan (St. Michael)  – Senior Boys 100m (Gold)
Jay Yetman (Glebe)  – Senior Boys 200m (Silver)
William Sanders (St.Mother Teresa)  – Senior Boys 200m (Bronze)
William Sanders (St.Mother Teresa)  – Senior Boys 400m (Gold)
Nolan Legare (John McCrae)  – Senior Boys 400m (Silver)
Safwan El Mansari (De La Salle)  – Senior Boys 400m (Bronze)
Ethan Lavictoire (St. Joseph)  – Senior Boys 400m (4th)
Nicolas Belan (Canterbury)  – Senior Boys 800m (Gold)
Nicolas Belan (Canterbury)  – Senior Boys 1500m (Bronze)
Eric Zielonka (Brookfield)  – Senior Boys 400m Hurdles (Silver)
Nathaniel McNeil (St. Peter)  – Senior Boys 400m Hurdles (Bronze)
Jay Yetman (Glebe)  – Senior Boys Long Jump (4th)
Derek Strachan (Glebe)  – Open Boys 2000m Steeplechase (Silver)
Odelia Niangoran (Holy Trinity)  – Novice Girls  4×100 (4th)
Ingrid Andersen (Holy Trinity)  – Novice Girls  4×100 (4th)
Cate O’Brien (Holy Trinity)  – Novice Girls  4×100 (4th)
Ingrid Moreau (Merivale)  – Junior Girls  4×100 (Gold)
Lecia Patrick (Ashbury)  – Junior Girls  4×100 (Silver)
Lei-Lei Fan-Saschenbrecker (Sacred Heart)  – Junior Girls  4×100 (Bronze)
Kaiya Woodcock (Sacred Heart)  – Junior Girls  4×100 (Bronze)
Koree Yach (Arnprior)  – Senior Girls  4×100 (4th)
Sophie Trott (Glebe)  – Open Girls  4×400 (Gold)
Lauren Alexander (Glebe)  – Open Girls  4×400 (Gold)
Louise Stonham (Arnprior)  – Open Girls  4×400 (Bronze)
Koree Yach (Arnprior)  – Open Girls  4×400 (Bronze)
Zachary Jeggo (Louis-Riel)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (Gold)
Joshua Haughton (Immaculata)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (Silver)
Brody Fraser (Immaculata)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (Silver)
Francis Mullowney (Colonel By)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (Bronze)
Mason Brennan (Colonel By)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (Bronze)
Matteo Nicolini (Ashbury)  – Junior Boys  4×100 (4th)
Beckham Tapp (West Carleton)  – Senior Boys  4×100 (Silver)
Logan Reid (Merivale)  – Senior Boys  4×100 (Bronze)
Matteo Nicolini (Ashbury)  – Open Boys  4×400 (4th)
Full results from East Regionals are available at https://ottawalions.com/results/2023-results/2023-east-regional-high-school-track-and-field-championship/

For update Club rankings, please visit: https://milesrowat.shinyapps.io/ottl_rankings/

2023_NCAA_Qualifiers

Robertson and Christie-Galloway secure spots at NCAA Championship

by linkinbioUniversity

Everything is bigger in Texas, or so the saying goes. For Kevin Robertson and Keira Christie-Galloway, they’ll find out first hand if there’s any truth to the rumour as they head to Austin to compete in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships next month. Both Kevin and Keira qualified for the national collegiate championship by way of their finishing at this weekend’s East and West Preliminary Meets.

Robertson was the first to punch his ticket to Austin, winning his quarterfinal of the 3000 metre steeplechase in Jacksonville, Florida on Friday night. The Syracuse junior entered the competition with the 13th fastest time in the nation and lived up to his top billing with his winning run of 8 minutes and 47.69 seconds. 

In what was a tightly contested race, Robertson hit the bell in fourth place – two and a half seconds behind the leader.  As the lead back approached the final water jump, Robertson dropped the hammer, leaving the rest of the field with only the back of his head to look at. By the corner the lead was already five plus metres, and the computer engineering student just continued to accelerate from there as he closed in a speedy 62.75 seconds.

For Christie-Galloway, a pair of second place finishes was all she needed to earn a trip back to the NCAA Championships – her first since earning Second Team All-American honours at the 2019 championship. Coming on the heels of a personal best effort of 13.01 seconds for the 100 metre hurdles at the WAC Championship, the Grand Canyon University student laid down back to back times of 13.08 seconds to finish second in both her heat and quarterfinal. Both performances were the second fastest of her career and earned her the Big Q to advance to Austin. 

The NCAA Championships will begin Wednesday, June 7 at the University of Texas’ Mike Myers Stadium with Robertson scheduled to run the steeplechase semi-finals at 8:02 pm eastern. Christie-Galloway will run the 100 metre hurdle semi-finals the following day at 9:32 pm eastern.

Ottawa, Canada. 25 May 2023. Jorai Oppong-Nketiah (734) of Pierre-de-Blois - Ottawa competing at the 2023 Ottawa City High School Track and Field Championships. Copyright 2023 Sean Burges / Mundo Sport Images

Records fall at NCSSAA and EOSSAA Championships

by High Schoollinkinbio

As local high school athletes continue their journey to the OFSAA Track and Field Championships set for June 8-10 here in Ottawa, a few Lions did so in record breaking fashion. 

For the second week in a row, Jorai Oppong-Nketiah etched her name into the record book, becoming the fastest grade nine girl in Ottawa track and field history. The Pierre-de-Blois student bested the field by more than a second in the final as she broke the tape in a blistering 12.25 seconds. 

Oppong-Nketiah’s performance bested the 48-year meet record of 12.40 set by Anne Liuzzo from Canterbury. 

Jorai also advanced to the East Regional Championship next week by taking top spot in the 200 metre. While falling short of Lauren Gale’s meet record, her time of 25.91 gave her a nice 1.4 second margin of victory. 

At the EOSSAA Track and Field Championships at  Thousand Island Secondary School in Brockville, a trio of meet records fell at the feet of Lions’ athletes. 

Quinn Couglin took down two records over the course of the two day championship, beginning on day one with the junior girls 300 metre hurdles event. The grade 10 student at Opeongo High School sped her way to a victory in 44.67 seconds Thursday afternoon – more than five seconds clear of second place. The performance bested the old record of 46.85 set by Catherine Farish of Frontenac Secondary School set in 2006. 

Coming back the next day, Coughlin took down another record. This time it was her idol’s, Melissa Bishop-Nriagu, junior girls 400 metre record that fell. Last year’s OFSAA silver medalist completed one lap of the TISS track in 57.65 seconds to shave 39 hundredths of second of Bishop-Nriagu’s 19 year old record.

While not in record time, Coughlin did add a third individual gold to her EOSSAA Championship performance in the 800 metres. Winning time for the grade 10 student was 2 minutes and 21.74 seconds. 

Rounding out the record breakers was Louise Stonham. The grade 12 student at Arnprior District High School bested her own record in the open girls 2000 metre steeplechase event. Louise stopped the clock in a time of 7 minutes and 15.63 seconds – more than 37 seconds ahead of second place. Her previous meet record of 7:21.13 had been set last year. 

Stonham also picked up a pair of bronze medals in the senior girls 1500 and 3000 metres. 

While he didn’t get his name in the NCSSAA record books, Glebe’s Jay Yetman put forward a very impressive performance over the two day championship, completing a sweep of the senior boys 100 and 200 metres as well as the long jump. 

The grade 12 student put together massive personal bests in both sprint events, as he joined the sub-11 and and sub-22 clubs with winning times of 10.99 and 21.79 seconds respectively. Yetman’s winning leap in the long jump measured 6.22 metres, a mere centimetre ahead of second place. 

The road to OFSAA continues next week here in Ottawa with the East Regional High School Championships on Thursday and Friday at Terry Fox. 

For full results from the NCSSAA and EOSSAA Championships, please visit https://ottawalions.com/results/2023-results/

For updated Club rankings, please visit https://milesrowat.shinyapps.io/ottl_rankings/