Max Gerundin (OTTL) competes at the 2026 Canadian Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Toronto Track and Field Centre in Toronto, Ontario on Sunday, March 1, 2026. GEOFF ROBINS Mundo Sport Images

Five Medals, Three Golds Headline Lions Showing at Canadian Indoor Championships

by linkinbioNational

In a season marked by disruption, Ottawa Lions athletes delivered a powerful statement of resilience at the Canadian Indoor Track and Field Championships this past weekend. Training without their usual indoor home following last year’s collapse of the Louis-Riel Dome, the Lions rose to the occasion on the national stage, capturing five medals — including three gold — and rewriting portions of the club’s indoor record book in the process.

Leading the way was high jumper Maxime Cazabon, who continued his steady ascent through the age-group ranks with another national title in the U18 boys competition.

The reigning U16 indoor and outdoor champion cleared 1.90 metres to secure gold on Friday. Cazabon controlled the competition from the outset and effectively sealed the victory with a first-attempt clearance at 1.81m, putting himself firmly in command. His 1.90m clearance ultimately proved more than enough to secure top spot and add another national title to his growing résumé.

Also striking gold in the field events was 15-year-old pole vaulter Anabelle Muir, who delivered a composed and efficient series in the U18 girls competition.

Muir clinched the competition with a first-attempt clearance at 3.25 metres before going on to clear 3.35m — also on her first attempt — to secure the victory.

On the track, Penny Roy stepped up to the U18 division and emerged victorious in the 3000-metre race walk. Roy crossed the line in 20:49.96, a performance that now ranks second on the Ottawa Lions’ all-time U18 list.

In one of the weekend’s most tightly contested races, Max Gerundin captured bronze in the U18 boys 800 metres with a lifetime best of 1:56.46.

Gerundin was locked in a dramatic three-way battle with Edge Sport TC’s TJ Woods and Brandon Neil, with just 0.22 seconds separating gold from bronze at the finish line. His time stands as the fastest indoor 800m ever recorded by a U18 boy in club history. A day earlier, Gerundin narrowly missed his personal best in the 1500 metres, placing ninth in 4:06.10.

The Lions’ medal count was rounded out by Liam Mordel, who earned silver in the U16 boys pole vault with a clearance of 2.40 metres.

His older brother, Eli Mordel, delivered a pair of strong performances in the U20 division. Eli cleared 4.40m in the pole vault — ultimately finishing just off the podium after rival Jackson Tuplin secured the same height on fewer attempts — but earlier in the meet he etched his name into the club record book.

Eli clocked 8.14 seconds in the 60-metre hurdles to finish fifth, breaking the longstanding Ottawa Lions U20 indoor record of 8.22 set by Oluwasegun Makinde in 2010.

(Montreal, Canada---20 February 2026) Rose Basu (CAR). RSEQ Track and Field University Championships held at McGill University. Copyright 2026 Sean Burges / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Ravens Rewrite Record Book as Lions Shine at RSEQ and AUS Championships

by linkinbioUncategorizedUniversity

Ottawa Lions athletes delivered a championship-calibre weekend across two conferences, rewriting record books, collecting medals and adding significant marks to the club’s all-time rankings last weekend at the RSEQ Championships in Montreal and the AUS Championships in Moncton.

Ravens Rewrite the Record Book

Carleton Ravens athletes accounted for two school records and 11 additional all-time top-10 performances as the team secured two bronze medals, with the women finishing inside the conference’s top five.

Third-year Communications student Rose Basu played a central role in both podium performances.

Basu clocked a lifetime best of 7.56 seconds in the 60 metres to capture her first individual RSEQ medal. The performance came just 0.02 seconds shy of the Ravens record set in 2017 by Amelia Brohman. Teammates Michaella Appiah-Kubi and Kierra McGillivray also delivered top-10 marks, placing fourth (7.84) and seventh (8.18), respectively.

A few hours later, Basu returned to the track alongside Appiah-Kubi, McGillivray and Christine Ani-Asamani in the 4×200-metre relay. The quartet ran 1:45.16 to capture bronze, breaking a school record that had stood since 2016 by four hundredths of a second.

Basu’s weekend extended beyond the podium. She shaved nearly a full second off her personal best in the 300 metres, running 40.94 to place sixth and move to No. 2 all-time at Carleton behind former U SPORTS medalist Alexandra Telford. Appiah-Kubi also produced a lifetime best of 41.20 to finish seventh.

On the men’s side, first-year standout Cole Simard delivered a similarly historic performance.

Simard became the first Raven male to break the seven-second barrier in the 60 metres, running 6.96 to place fifth overall and eclipse the previous school record of 7.05 set in 2018. He followed with another lifetime best of 35.37 in the 300 metres, climbing to second on the program’s all-time list.

Simard then led off the Ravens’ 4×200-metre relay, teaming with Joshua Haughton, Will Flett and Ali Kalkas to clock 1:32.11. The squad placed sixth and moved to No. 2 on the school’s all-time list.

In the 60-metre hurdles, freshman Will Flett placed eighth in the final in 9.04 seconds after running a personal best of 8.90 in the rounds. The defending British Columbia high school champion now ranks second on Carleton’s all-time list in the event.

Redbirds Close with Relay Statement

Among the other Lions competing in Montreal, McGill speedsters William Sanders and Luca Nicoletti produced one of the defining performances of the RSEQ Championships.

With Nicoletti leading off and Sanders anchoring, the pair powered McGill to victory in the men’s 4×400-metre relay in 3:16.02 — nearly three seconds clear of the field. The performance carried added significance, as it likely marked McGill’s final appearance at an RSEQ Championship.

Individually, Sanders emerged as one of the meet’s top performers.

In the 300 metres, Sanders outkicked Nicoletti down the stretch to claim gold in 34.03, with Nicoletti close behind in 34.08. Both marks were lifetime bests and secured qualification for the upcoming U SPORTS Championships. The performances rank the duo eighth and ninth, respectively, on the Ottawa Lions’ U23 all-time list.

Sanders also captured bronze in the 600 metres, running another lifetime best of 1:19.82 to move to ninth on the club’s U23 rankings.

Gratton Claims AUS Silver in Photo Finish

At the AUS Championships in Moncton, freshman Jonah Gratton added to the weekend medal haul.

Gratton captured silver in the 60-metre hurdles, crossing the line in 8.43 seconds — just 0.002 seconds behind gold medalist Oliver Arnfast of UNB. The razor-thin margin underscored one of the tightest finishes of the championship meet and marked a strong conference debut for the first-year athlete.

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Record-Setting 4×400 Leads University of Ottawa at OUA Championships

by linkinbioProvincial

The climb began last August in Ottawa.

When Leewinchell Jean, William Harris, Safwan El Mansari and David Moulongou captured bronze at the Canadian Track and Field Championships on home soil, the University of Ottawa men’s 4×400-metre relay established a foundation for what would become this season’s defining pursuit.

Over the winter, the personnel shifted — James Compeau stepped into the lead-off role — but the focus remained unchanged. Earlier this month, the Gee-Gees quartet broke a 13-year school record at Boston University, a breakthrough that signaled their progress.

On Saturday at York University, that steady ascent produced another milestone.

Compeau, El Mansari, Harris and Moulongou captured gold at the OUA championships in 3 minutes 15.71 seconds, setting a championship record and securing the first conference title in the event in program history.

The time eclipsed the previous OUA meet record of 3:15.87 set by Guelph in 2019. Ottawa led from the opening leg and never relinquished control.

Saturday’s OUA title adds another layer to a season that continues to build toward the U SPORTS Championships in Winnipeg next month.

Earlier in the day, El Mansari ran 1:19.11 to claim silver in the men’s 600 metres, then returned hours later to contribute a key leg in the championship-record relay. Teammate Thomas Senechal-Becker continued his upward trajectory, clearing a season-best 2.14 metres to earn bronze in the high jump. Jessica Gyamfi added another bronze to the Gee-Gees’ collection with a 13.27-metre throw in the women’s shot put.

In other action, a number of Lions athletes matched their podium finishes with personal-best performances.

Competing for Queen’s University, Elizabeth Vroom posted a lifetime best of 4:25.48 to claim silver in the women’s 1500 metres. It was Vroom’s second medal of the championship after anchoring the Gaels to bronze in the 4×800-metre relay.

The hurdles produced a pair of silver medals. Paulina Procyk, running for the University of Toronto, clocked a personal-best 8.46 seconds in the women’s 60-metre hurdles to secure an automatic berth to the U SPORTS Championships. On the men’s side, Western University’s David Adeleye delivered a season-best 7.89 seconds in both the preliminary and final rounds on his way to silver. Teammate Leo Wallner compiled a personal-best 4,863 points in the heptathlon to finish second and earn his first U SPORTS qualification.

Rounding out the weekend’s medalists, University of Guelph sophomore Liam Davis produced a personal-best throw of 15.95 metres in the shot put to capture silver. Davis, along with middle-distance runner Nicolas Belan, shared in Guelph’s men’s team title as the Gryphons totaled 136 points to Western’s 105.

On the women’s side, Kaiya Woodcock — a finalist in the 60 metres — celebrated as the Gryphon women secured team gold with 185 points, 52 clear of Western.

(Ottawa, Canada---12 June 2024) Youth Program athletes competing at Ottawa Summer Twilight Meet #2 at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. Copyright 2024 Miles Ryan Rowat / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Registration Now Open for 2026 Ottawa Lions Summer Camps

by Clublinkinbio

The Ottawa Lions are excited to announce that registration is now officially open for our 2026 Summer Camps at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility.

Recognized as Canada’s #1 Track and Field Development Program, the Ottawa Lions Summer Camps provide youth aged 7–14 with a fun, safe and high-energy introduction to track and field – all led by passionate, certified provincial and national-calibre athletes and coaches.

With a maximum 1:10 coach-to-camper ratio, each participant receives meaningful instruction and personal attention while learning the fundamentals of sprinting, jumping, throwing and middle distance running.

A Premier Setting

Camps are held at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, home to a world-class 400m Mondo track that regularly hosts provincial and national championships. Located beside Mooney’s Bay and Canada’s largest playground, the setting provides the perfect mix of sport and summer fun.

Program Structure

Morning Sessions

Campers focus on track and field development, following a similar format to our popular Run, Jump, Throw programs. Athletes are introduced to all event groups throughout the week and wrap up with a friendly Friday competition to showcase their progress.

Afternoon Sessions (Full Day Campers)

Afternoons feature classic summer camp activities, including team sports, arts and crafts, hiking, beach time and swimming at Mooney’s Bay.

2026 Camp Dates

Eight weeks of camp are available:

  • Week 1: June 29 – July 3*
  • Week 2: July 6 – 10
  • Week 3: July 13 – 17
  • Week 4: July 20 – 24
  • Week 5: July 27 – 31
  • Week 6: August 4 – 7*
  • Week 7: August 10 – 14
  • Week 8: August 17 – 21

*No camp July 1 or August 3. Special pricing applies for shortened weeks  .

Camp Options & Pricing

Ages 7–11

  • Half Day: $204.50 (1 week) | $368.10 (2 weeks)
  • Full Day: $370.00 (1 week) | $666.00 (2 weeks)

Ages 12–14

  • Half Day: $220.00 (1 week) | $396.00 (2 weeks)
  • Full Day: $417.00 (1 week) | $750.60 (2 weeks)

Additional Discounts

  • 40% additional discount when registering for a third week (or more)
  • 50% additional discount for third (or more) sibling
  • Team/group discounts available (5+ athletes)  

Daily Schedule

  • Drop-off: 8:00–8:45 a.m.
  • Camp begins: 9:00 a.m.
  • Half-day dismissal: 12:00 p.m.
  • Full-day dismissal: 4:00 p.m.  

Whether your child is trying track and field for the first time or looking to sharpen their skills in a supportive environment, the Ottawa Lions Summer Camps offer an unforgettable summer experience.

🔗 Register Today

Spots fill quickly each year. Families are encouraged to register early to secure their preferred week.

For more information, visit www.ottawalions.com or contact us at (613) 247-4886 or [email protected].

(Ottawa, Canada---02 August 2025) Zachary Jeggo competes on Day 4 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 Breaks Canadian U20 Record, Wins GNAC Title in Spokane

by linkinbioUniversity

Zachary Jeggo delivered a championship performance for the ages Tuesday night at The Podium in Spokane, WA.

The Ottawa Lions standout captured the 400 metres title at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, clocking a seasonal-best 46.72 seconds to win by nearly half a second in a loaded final.

The time shattered the previous meet record of 47.61 set in 2017 by Simon Fraser’s Vladislav Tsygankov — a mark that had stood for eight years. In fact, Jeggo was one of three athletes in the race to dip under the former standard.

However, the bigger milestone came at the national level.

Pending ratification, the performance establishes a new Canadian U20 indoor record, eclipsing the previous mark of 47.02 set in 2013 by World Championship finalist Brandon McBride. It also makes Jeggo the first Ottawa Lions athlete in club history to break 47 seconds indoors over 400 metres.

For Jeggo, the record had quietly become a target in recent weeks.

“It’s pretty unreal,” he said via text message on Wednesday. “I wasn’t really aware of the record til a couple weeks ago after I saw a post with my name at second all time. So I knew I had to try and beat it. Really happy to get that weight off my shoulders too.”

The mark currently ranks fifth in NCAA Division II this season and places the first-year criminology student eighth in the world among U20 athletes indoors.

Male Performance of the Meet

Jeggo’s effort did not go unnoticed. He was awarded Male Performance of the Meet honours following the championship.

Competing in his first GNAC final as a freshman, he controlled the race from the gun and closed decisively to secure his first conference title.

“Feels awesome,” said the Louis-Riel graduate of winning as a freshman. “Glad to get the job done early and set the tone for the rest of the season. I’m gonna try and keep the momentum going for nationals.”

Relay Gold and a Meet Record

He was not finished.

The championship concluded with Jeggo anchoring Simon Fraser’s 4×400-metre relay to conference gold, splitting a blistering 46.4 on the final leg as the Red Leafs stormed to a meet-record 3:11.70.

It was a fitting end to a dominant championship from the freshman and reinforced his ability to deliver on demand in a championship setting.

Adjusting to University Competition

Now in his first year studying criminology, Jeggo says the biggest adjustment to NCAA life has come away from the track.

“I’d say the biggest challenge is balancing your schedule with training, school and life in general. But other than that, university life has been nothing but great. I have great friends out here, I have a wonderful team that I’m thankful to be a part of as well.”

Nationals in Sight

With his national ranking comfortably inside the qualification range, Jeggo now turns his focus toward the NCAA Division II Championships.

“I just want to enjoy the moment and have fun. Obviously I’m going there to win but there will be some hard competition which will help and push me. I also just want to represent the only Canadian NCAA school to the best of my ability.”

Eyes on the International Stage

Beyond the collegiate season, the 18-year-old has his sights set on international competition this summer.

“I plan to keep working hard with all my coaches and teammates in order to get better,” Jeggo wrote. “I wish to represent Team Canada this year whether it be at Commonwealth or U20 worlds, but the road to either of those events is going to be difficult with a strong Canadian field also shooting for those. As always I’ll try my best and work as hard as possible.”

If his championship performance in Spokane is any indication, Jeggo has firmly placed himself in that national conversation –  and rewritten a piece of Canadian junior sprint history in the process.

(Canton, USA---14 February 2026) Wendy Alexis sets a Masters 70-74 World Record of 9.11s in the 60m.Ottawa Lions Mini Meet at St Lawrence University. Photograph Copyright 2026 Sean Burges / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

World Masters Record Headlines Lions Winter Mini Meet as Alexis Leads Standout Weekend

by linkinbioMastersUniversity

A world masters record from Wendy Alexis highlighted a wave of standout performances by Ottawa Lions athletes across multiple meets this past weekend, led by a historic sprint in the W70 60 metres at the Ottawa Lions Winter Mini Meet hosted at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY.

Alexis delivered the headline performance of the meet in the preliminary round of the 60 metres, clocking 9.11 seconds to break the World Masters Athletics W70 record of 9.17 set last February by fellow Canadian Karla del Grande. The mark lowers the global standard by six hundredths of a second and adds another milestone to Alexis’ long list of international masters achievements.

In addition to the record-setting performance, Lions athletes combined to produce 26 new personal bests at the Mini Meet across sprints, middle distance and field events.

Among the top open performances in Canton, Ange-Mathis Kramo continued to show strong early-season form in the men’s sprints. The Paul-Desmarais High School senior won the 60 metres in 6.96 seconds, his third-fastest career performance at the distance, and doubled back to dominate the 300 metres – winning in an indoor best of 34.40 seconds. University of Ottawa sprinter William Harris placed second in the 300 metres in 35.67.

Primarily known for his success in the sprints, James Compeau stepped up in distance and delivered a breakthrough effort in the 600 metres, winning in a lifetime best 1:21.00. Compeau, a second-year Finance student at the Telfer School of Management and a member of the Gee-Gees’ record-setting 4×400-metre relay earlier this season alongside Harris, ran largely unchallenged – crossing the line more than six seconds ahead of the field. His performance places him 12th on the University of Ottawa’s all-time list.

While Lions athletes were competing in Canton, several others posted nationally significant marks in Boston.

Queen’s University fourth-year runner Elizabeth Vroom recorded two lifetime bests in as many days across separate meets. She opened her weekend at the Harvard Crimson Open with a school record 2:45.22 in the 1000 metres, a performance that moves her to third on the club’s all-time list. Vroom followed with a 4:43.44 mile at the BU Valentine Invitational, setting a new club U23 record and delivering the fastest performance by a Lion at the distance since Tracy Robertson ran 4:39.10 to win the NCAA Indoor title in 2001. Heading into next weekend’s OUA Championships, Vroom now ranks seventh nationally in U SPORTS in the 1000 metres and sixth in the 1500 metres based on converted performances.

Also in Boston, Lauren Gale led the women’s 400-metre field with a seasonal best 52.56, winning her heat by nearly two and a half seconds. She later returned to place fourth in the 60-metre final in 7.66 seconds after posting the fastest qualifying time in the preliminary round.

Back in Ontario, throws specialist Liam Davis delivered his strongest meet since November at the University of Guelph Last Chance competition. The second-year Guelph student won the weight throw with a mark of 18.04 metres and added a fourth-place finish in the shot put at 15.10 metres, rounding out a productive weekend for Lions athletes across three meets.

(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

Titles, Top Finishes and a Dozen PersonalBests Mark Strong Lions Showing at Ontario U18/Open Championships

by linkinbioProvincial

Ottawa Lions athletes delivered a wide range of standout performances across sprints, jumps, throws and distance events at last weekend’s Ontario U18/Open Championships, highlighted by two event titles, multiple top-five finishes, and a dozen new personal bests.

As he has done at every championship meet he has contested over the past two seasons, Maxime Cazabon once again rose to the occasion in the U18 boys high jump, claiming the title. The Grade 10 student at Garneau secured the win with a first-attempt clearance at 1.82 metres, then went on to clear his winning height of 1.89 metres on his first try as well. Cazabon also recorded a personal best of 6.29 metres to place fourth in the long jump and added a seasonal-best 7.26 seconds in the 60m semifinals.

Also reaching the top of the podium was Anabelle Muir, who captured gold in the U18 girls pole vault with a clearance of 3.20 metres. Muir sat in second place behind Windsor Essex’s Alyssa Rizzo on countback through the early heights, but her second-attempt clearance at 3.20 metres proved decisive and secured the victory. Teammate Charlotte Morales placed fifth with a personal-best clearance of 2.35 metres.

On the track, Alexander Forzley added to the club’s medal haul in the U18 boys 200 metres, earning silver in 23.11 seconds. Earlier in the championship, the Sir Robert Borden student placed sixth in the 60m final in 7.16 seconds after advancing through the preliminary and semifinal rounds.

The final medal for the Lions came in the throws, where Sadie Gilbert competed up an age category to place third in the senior women’s shot put with a throw of 11.69 metres.

Several of the meet’s personal best performances came in the middle-distance events. In his first race since last summer’s OFSAA Championships, Luke Van Brabant produced a personal best of 4:15.09 to place eighth in the U18 boys 1500m. He followed that with a fifth-place finish in the 800m in 2:00.48 — the second-fastest performance of his career.

Brennan Lee also recorded personal bests in both of his events, running 2:01.01 for 800 metres and 4:16.44 for 1500 metres. Isla Kittmer added a new best of 10:34.53 in the U18 girls 3000 metres, finishing 12th overall.

In the field events, Roxy Gardiner bounded her way into the record books, placing fourth in the U18 girls triple jump with a leap of 11.05 metres. The performance moves Gardiner into 10th place on the club’s all-time U18 rankings in the event.

(Canton, United States---05 December 2025) Thomas Senechal-Becker at the Saints Holiday Relays held in Newell Field House on the campus of St. Lawrence University. Copyright 2025 Miles Ryan / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Five U SPORTS Standards, 25 Personal Bests Highlight Lions’ Strong Showing at Lancer Team Challenge

by linkinbioUniversity

With the OUA and RSEQ championships fast approaching, Ottawa Lions varsity athletes made their final major competition opportunity count at the Lancer Team Challenge this past weekend, delivering nearly 25 personal bests and five U SPORTS automatic qualifying standards. The results across sprints, middle distance, field and combined events underscored a group peaking at just the right time ahead of championship season.

Leading the way was high jumper Thomas Sénéchal-Becker, who cleared a seasonal-best 2.11 metres to win the event and secure a U SPORTS automatic qualifying standard. After a year away from university competition, the fourth-year student-athlete appears well positioned to contend for another national title.

On the track, David Moulongou powered to victory in the men’s 300 metres, stopping the clock in 34.28 seconds to better the U SPORTS automatic standard. The race marked his third lifetime best in as many weekends, following breakthrough performances in the 60 metres at the McGill Team Challenge and the 400 metres in Boston last weekend, as the uOttawa senior rounds into the strongest form of his career.

Safwan El Mansari added another event title and qualifying mark in the men’s 600 metres, crossing first in 1:19.55 to book his place at the national championships standard. The Gee-Gees sophomore had been knocking on the door of the mark throughout the winter season.

In the throws circle, Liam Davis continued that trend, winning the men’s weight throw with a mark of 17.83 metres, also beyond the U SPORTS automatic standard. It marked the third time this season the Guelph sophomore has surpassed the national qualifying mark.

Sprint hurdler David Adeleye delivered one of the meet’s most competitive performances, finishing second in the men’s 60-metre hurdles in 7.91 seconds. He was narrowly edged by Olympian Craig Thorne of Royal City Athletics Club, who won in 7.90, in a tightly contested final featuring one of the weekend’s deepest fields.

Several Lions athletes also made their mark on the club’s all-time lists. Middle-distance runner Nicolas Belan recorded a personal best of 2:26.11 in the 1000 metres, moving to sixth on the club’s all-time rankings in the event. Combined events athlete Waverley Lyons scored a personal-best 2,943 points in the pentathlon, elevating her to eighth on the club’s U20 all-time list.

On the sprint side, Rose Basu equalled her personal best of 7.61 seconds in the 60 metres during the heats before placing seventh in the final in 7.63.

At the Pandas Open in Edmonton, Paulina Procyk lowered her personal best in the 60-metre hurdles twice in the same day. After running 8.60 seconds in the preliminaries, the University of Toronto graduate student shaved another two hundredths off in the final to place seventh overall in a field that could closely resemble the national championship lineup.

Next up for the two varsity programs in Ottawa is a mini meet this Saturday at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. The competition will offer athletes a final opportunity to achieve conference standards and improve their championship seeding.

(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.

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Gee-Gees relay breaks 13-year record as Lions athletes deliver standout weekend in Boston

by linkinbioUniversity

The Boston University Track and Tennis Center has earned a reputation as one of North America’s fastest indoor tracks, particularly for distance runners chasing quick times on its responsive wooden subsurface. This weekend, it also proved fertile ground for a series of breakthrough sprint and field performances from Lions athletes.

Headlining the performance was the University of Ottawa men’s 4×400-metre relay team, which broke a 13-year school record at the Terrier Classic.

The quartet of James Compeau, Safwan El Mansari, William Harris and David Moulongou finished third overall and first in their heat in 3 minutes 13.67 seconds, eclipsing the previous program record of 3:15.36 set in 2013. The time briefly stood atop the U SPORTS national rankings before being surpassed later in the weekend by the University of Guelph.

Compeau opened the relay with a 48.77 split to establish an early lead. El Mansari and Harris maintained the advantage through the middle legs before Moulongou, a FISU games finalist with Canada’s relay squad last summer, anchored in 47.33 to secure the record performance.

The Gee-Gees will look to take top spot back from the Gryphons later this month at the OUA Championships at York University and the U SPORTS Championships next month in Winnipeg. 

Compeau and Moulongou also delivered strong individual results. Moulongou clocked 47.58 for 400m to move to third on the Gee-Gees’ all-time list, less than half a second off the school record. Compeau moved up the list as well, dropping a 48.39 effort for sixth best among the Gee-Gees best. El Mansari added a breakthrough of his own in the 800 metres, placing 12th overall in 1:51.87 to become the second-fastest performer in program history.

Competing for Simon Fraser University, Zachary Jeggo posted an indoor personal best of 47.15 in the men’s 400 to finish fourth. The performance established a new Great Northwest Athletic Conference record, and Jeggo was later named GNAC Male Track Athlete of the Week for the second time this season. He currently ranks fifth nationally in NCAA Division II in the 400 metres.

Also at Boston University, Ange-Mathis Kramo produced one of the top sprint performances of the weekend with a bronze-medal finish in the 200 metres. The Paul-Desmarais senior ran a personal best 21.34 seconds, improving by 0.07 and recording the third-fastest Canadian U20 indoor time in the event, trailing only Tooni Ogunyeye and national record holder William Floyd.

On the women’s side, Lauren Gale opened her season with a second-place finish in the 400 metres in 52.74 to put her in a qualifying position for March’s World Indoor Championships in Poland. Gale also added an eighth-place showing in the 60 metres in 7.74. Jorai Oppong-Nketiah finished fifth in the 60-metre final in 7.64.

Carleton’s Rose Basu set a lifetime best of 24.92 in the 200 metres, finishing ninth and breaking the Ravens’ school record of 25.32 that had stood since 2016. Teammate Michaella Appriah-Kubi also ran a personal best 25.55 to move to third on the program’s all-time list.

In the field events, Jessica Gyamfi recorded a season’s best throw of 13.33 metres to place fifth in the shot put, a mark that ranks fourth in U SPORTS this season.

Athletes also competed at the Harvard Invitational, held nearby in Cambridge.

University of Ottawa high jumper Thomas Senechal-Becker cleared a season’s best 2.08 metres to finish second and confirm his place at the upcoming U SPORTS Championships. The 2024 national champion returned this season after missing last year due to injury.

Teammate Leewinchell Jean placed third in the 60-metre hurdles in 8.14 seconds, a season best that moves him to fourth on the Gee-Gees’ all-time list and just shy of his personal record.

Basu added another personal best at Harvard, running 7.61 in the women’s 60 metres to finish seventh in the final. The time moves her into a tie for 10th on the Ottawa Lions’ all-time list while maintaining her No. 2 position in Carleton program history.

In the women’s 500 metres, Lions athletes claimed four of the top seven places. First-year Lion Amy Stieh won in 1:14.79, moving to seventh on the club’s all-time list. Ellie McGregor placed second in 1:16.01, rising to No. 2 on the U18 rankings. Alexandra Telford finished fourth in 1:18.84, while Carleton’s Aria MacDonald placed seventh in 1:20.24 to set a new Ravens school record.

Full results can be found on our website.

Updated Club and University rankings can be found at the following links:
Lions Rankings
uOttawa Rankings
Carleton Rankings