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Timeo Atonfo and Zachary Jeggo Receive Orléans Outstanding Youth Awards

by ClublinkinbioLocal

The Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club is thrilled to announce the outstanding achievements of two remarkable athletes, Timeo Atonfo and Zachary Jeggo, recipients of the prestigious Orléans Outstanding Youth Awards for their exceptional contributions to athletics throughout the 2023 calendar year.

Timeo and Zachary with their Orleans Outstanding Youth Awards

Timeo Atonfo’s Remarkable Track and Field Achievements in 2023:

Timeo Atonfo, an outstanding member of the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club, showcased his exceptional athletic prowess throughout the 2023 season. Atonfo secured a triple-medal victory at the OFSAA Track and Field Championships held in Ottawa, including silver medals in the junior boys long and triple jump events, and a bronze in the 100-metre hurdles. His achievements continued with a pair of bronze medals at the Ontario U18 Championships and valuable contributions to three relay teams at the provincial championship level. Atonfo concluded his outstanding season with a silver medal in the long jump at the Canadian U18 Championships.

Zachary Jeggo’s Phenomenal Season Highlights:

Zachary Jeggo, another exceptional athlete from the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club, had an outstanding season, beginning with a pair of gold medals at the OFSAA Track and Field Championships in the 300 metre hurdles and 400 metres, respectively. At the provincial level, Jeggo secured a bronze medal in the U20 400 metre hurdles. Following two 4th place finishes at the Canadian U20 Championships, Jeggo claimed three silver medals at the Canadian U18 Championships, excelling in the 400 metres, 400 metre hurdles, and as a key member of the record-setting 4×400 metre relay team.

Celebrating Excellence in Youth Athletics:

The Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club extends heartfelt congratulations to Timeo Atonfo and Zachary Jeggo for their well-deserved recognition with the Orléans Outstanding Youth Awards. Their remarkable achievements not only bring pride to the club but also serve as an inspiration for aspiring athletes in the community.

 

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Lions set nearly 2200 personal bests in 2023

by Clublinkinbio

With 2023 set to wind down we will be taking some time to look back on the year that was over these remaining days. 

Ask any track and field athlete their personal best is and they are likely to rhyme it off to you before you even uttering the question. It is the key measuring stick for performance improvement and in 2023, we saw lots of improvement!

More than 800 athletes registered a performance in competition over the past 12 months and an astounding 624 of them recorded a new personal best in at least one event. Combined, they amassed a total of 2181 personal best performances in 2023. 

Looking at the ten athletes with the most personal bests in 2023, there are a few similarities among the group. Kyle Waldrum led the list with an incredible total of 16 personal best performances this year. Among the contributing factors was Waldrum’s engagement in the decathlon – an event in which he placed ninth in at the Canadian U20 Championships this summer. 

Kyle was one of three combined events athletes among our top-10 in 2023 for personal bests. University of Ottawa students Thomas Kukla-Colby and Kathryn Moreland each found their way onto the list with a total of 13 and 12 personal bests respectively. 

Table 1 – Top 10 List of Personal Bests by Athlete in 2023

RankName# of Personal Bests
1Kyle Waldrum16
2Augustine Uche15
3Jacqueline Aubin13
3Mason Brennan13
3Thomas Kukla-Colby13
6Connor Rennie12
6Kathryn Moreland12
6Moise Sebakunzi12
9Dylan Dignard11
9Grace Streek11

Among event groups, the sprints saw the most personal bests in 2023, with 892 in total. Not too surprisingly, the largest share came from in the 100 metres with 220. The seldom run 500 and 60 metre events occupied the smallest share with just 38 and 87 personal bests respectively. 

Chart 1. Personal Bests by Event Group

The next highest total of personal bests came from those in the middle distance events. These events include everything from 600 to 3000 metres but excludes the steeplechase. Nearly half of the new lifetime bests were set in either the 800 and 1500 metres with each event producing 110 personal bests during 2023.

Surprisingly, an indoor distance led the way for personal bests among the hurdle events. A total of 95 personal bests were set over the 60 metre hurdles in 2023.

The jumps was more concentrated as the long jump produced 163 of the 258 personal bests in 2023. Next on the list was the high jump with 48 PBs.

Shot put topped the throwing events with 84 personal bests, while the 2000 metre steeplechase and 5km led long distance and road running events respectively.

Rounding out the list, Lions athletes produced five new personal bests in the pentathlon and another three in each of the heptathlon and decathlon respectively.

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Four Lions Coaches to Represent Canada in 2024

by Internationallinkinbio

Congratulations to Lions coaches Glenroy Gilbert, Leslie Estwick, Darrin Reesal, and Gordon Cavé on recently being named to Team Canada positions for the 2024 competition year.

Gilbert, as Athletics Canada’s Head Coach, will lead the national senior team in to multiple championships in 2024 culminating with the Olympic Games in Paris next August.

For the the first time in our Club history, the Lions will have three coaches representing Canada at the World Athletics U20 Championships.

A national team veteran, Estwick, will lead the jumps group at the Championship.

The World U20 Championships will be Gordon Cavé’s third national team assignment. He previously served as a sprints coach at the 2022 NACAC Senior Championships and was scheduled to be on the staff at the 2023 World University Games before Canada pulled it’s entry.

For long time throws coach Darrin Reesal, this will be his first national team assignment. However, Reesal is no stranger to international competition as he served as Tim Nedow’s personal coach for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Congratulations to all four coaches on their well earned assignments!

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Lions mourn passing of Srboljub Radojevic

by Clublinkinbio

The Ottawa Lions mourn the sudden passing of Srboljub Radojevic on November 26, 2023 at the age of 67. While his son competed in the sprint events for the Lions in late 90’s, Srboljub was an ardent Club supporter. The kind hearted man was twice recognized with one of the Club’s highest honours, the Sean Cole Memorial Award for dedication to Club Service. 

The following is an excerpt from Srboljub’s obituary.

He was a man of remarkable character, an optimist with a kind heart who touched the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him. We will miss his warm encouragements and wise advice, his funny stories and countless games he made up for his grandchildren. Devoted husband of Mirjana, loving father of Igor (Sonja) and Bojan. Proud Deda of Lara and Nikola. Dear son of Katarina and the late Milan and brother of Nenad (Sabaheta). Ostaces zauvijek u nasim srcima. Volimo te. 

Visiting will be held at the Pinecrest Visitation Center, 2500 Baseline Road, Ottawa, on Thursday, December 14, 2023 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Society. 

Online condolences can be made at pinecrest-remembrance.com

(Canton, United States---02 December 2023) Ella-Grace Gilbert, Quinn Coughlin, Bianca Borgella, Katie Manor, Emma Martins, and Rose Basu competes at the Saints Holiday Relays held at Newell Fieldhouse. Copyright 2023 Miles Ryan Rowat / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Lions set five meet records at St Lawrence

by linkinbioUniversity

The Lions family of athletes didn’t just start their season off on the right foot; they set a new standard at the Saints Holiday Relays in Canton, NY, last Saturday. Dominating in 19 out of 28 events, they not only showcased their prowess but also shattered five meet records. The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees claimed the women’s team title.

The women’s 60-meter final epitomized their dominance, featuring Lions, Ravens, and Gee-Gees in six of the eight lanes. The University of Ottawa’s Katie Manor emerged as the champion, clocking 7.60 seconds, marking the second-fastest performance of her career. Completing the Gee-Gee sweep were Bianca Borgella (7.66) and Emma Martins (7.86) in second and third, respectively.

Borgella’s time of 7.66 seconds was a significant improvement, shaving more than a tenth of a second off her previous best set a year ago. This promising start sets her on a path for a podium run at the Paralympic Games in Paris next summer.

In the challenging 500 meters, Lions runners Quinn Coughlin and Zachary Jeggo claimed golds and set records. Coughlin’s time of 1 minute and 21.32 seconds surpassed the previous mark by three tenths of a second. Jeggo cut nearly a full second from the men’s record, clocking 1 minute and 6.97 seconds.

At 600 meters, David Moulongou demolished his own meet record, winning comfortably in 1 minute and 21.85 seconds, nearly three and a half seconds faster than last year.

Triple jumper Heather Grandy added to the list of records with her winning leap of 11.62 meters, surpassing her 11-year-old personal best. The graduate student at the University of Ottawa returned to the sport last season after a six-year hiatus, having competed for Dalhousie University during her undergraduate years.

Carleton Raven throwers Connor Fraser and Brianna Asiamah set school records. Fraser topped the men’s shot put with a heave of 14.83 meters, adding a foot to Alec Jeffery’s previous standard. Asiamah began her Raven career on the right foot with a shot put record of 12.66 meters, the farthest indoor throw of her career.

After an outstanding cross-country season, André Alie-Lamarche started his indoor season with a lifetime best over 3000 meters at Boston University. The fourth-year University of Ottawa student moved to number two in school history with a time of 8 minutes and 14.51 seconds, improving his own personal best by nearly nine seconds.

Results from the Saints Holiday Relays can be found on our website.

Photos from the Saints Holiday Relays are available on Mundo Sport Images.

For updated Lions/Gee-Gees/Ravens All-Time Rankings, visit:

(Ottawa, Canada---25 November 2023) Nina Gunther and Shona McCulloch races in the open women’s championship race at the 2023 Athletics Canada Canadian Cross Country Championships held at Mooney’s Bay, Ottawa. Photograph Copyright 2023 Sean Burges / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

Lions take home national medals on home course

by linkinbioNational

They say all good things must come to an end. This sentiment held true as Saturday marked the conclusion of a three-year hosting swing for the Canadian Cross Country Championships at Mooney’s Bay Park. It also signaled the relinquishment of the national Under-18 girls team title.

Despite the absence of the familiar banner, the atmosphere on this warmer-than-usual late November Saturday buzzed with excitement.

Leading the charge were our small yet formidable group of masters athletes who secured a pair of podium finishes. In the Women’s 55-59 category, Liz Maguire clinched a silver medal in the 8-kilometer event. Last year’s champion, Maguire, finished a mere ten seconds behind BC’s Alita Dommann, who completed the race in 33 minutes and 18 seconds. Notably, Dommann had secured the gold in the 50-54 category in 2022.

Two weeks after our Men’s 30-34 team earned a provincial silver, the trio of Jay Sneddon, Sam Shi, and Gilles Frenette added another silver at the Canadian Championships. While Sneddon and Shi claimed the fifth and seventh spots in the category, the team’s third scorer, Frenette, secured the 21st position in the Men’s 45-49 category. This team medal marked a significant achievement, being the first by a Club masters team since 2016.

Maddie Seaby showcased an outstanding performance, finishing 11th overall in the U20 Women’s race. A freshman at the University of Louisville, Seaby completed the 6-kilometer course in 22 minutes and 35 seconds, concluding a remarkable fall season of cross-country running.

Following back-to-back national championships, the Under-18 girls team handed over their well-earned crown on Saturday. Led by Lauren Alexander and her 26th place finish, the Lion ladies secured the eighth position overall. Other notable scorers included Kyra Lauter (68th), Laila Lebel (74th), and Kate Johnston-Zemek (79th).

Alexander did not leave empty-handed on the day. Running as part of the provincial team, the Glebe student contributed to Ontario’s third-place finish in the branch competition.

Another Glebe student, Saul Taler, joined in the provincial team success. His 43rd place finish in the Under-18 boys race played a crucial role in Ontario’s gold medal victory. On the Club level, Taler, along with Noah Smith (63rd), Russell Heins (74th), and Charlie Mortimer (81st), propelled the Lions to a top-10 finish.

Additional noteworthy performances on Saturday included Nina Günther, securing the 38th position in the Open Women’s race, and Kyle Porter’s 41st place finish in the Under-20 Men’s event.

Full results from the Canadian Championships are available on Sport Stats

Photos from the Canadian Championship can be found on the Mundo Sport Images website

If you post on social media please tag @mundosportimages on Instagram or tag Mundo Sport Images on Facebook. (Ottawa, Canada---02 October 2021) Andre Alie-Lamarche (Ottawa Gee-Gees) competing in the University Men’s / Open Men’s race at the 2021 Capital Cross Country Challenge held at Mooney’s Bay in Ottawa. Photograph 2021 Copyright Sean Burges / Mundo Sport Images

Collegiate Cross Country Season Ends on High Note on Both Sides of Border

by linkinbioUniversity

The collegiate cross country season culminated this past weekend in a series of outstanding performances for Lions athletes. With athletes competing in both the USports Championships in London as well as NCAA Regional Championship events south of the border there was plenty to celebrate. 

Alie-Lamarche tops Lions performances at USports Championship

University of Ottawa student athlete André Alie-Lamarche demonstrated the marked improvement he has shown all season with his 28th place finish. The result was a significant improvement from his 43rd position in 2022. 

On the women’s side in London, Olivia Baggley, capped off an incredible rookie season at the University of New Brunswick, placing 60th overall. The AUS Rookie of the Year’s performance played a crucial role in the Reds’ 8th place team finish.

Last year’s USports Rookie of the Year, Lizzy Vroom placed 66th in this year’s Championship. The second year engineering student was the fourth scorer for the Queen’s Gaels as they finished 10th in the team standings.

Seaby and Stonham finish rookie campaign on high note

Maddie Seaby, the freshman dynamo from the University of Louisville, blazed a trail at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regiona in Spartanburg, SC. Seaby secured an 81st place finish individually and helped the Cardinals to an impressive 9th place team finish. 

Three time zones over in the California capital of Sacramento, Louise Stonham capped off her rookie season with Long Beach State University by placing 93rd in the NCAA West Regional. As the second scorer for Long Beach, Stonham helped her school to an  18th place team finish. 

The Lions will finish off the cross country season a week from Saturday at Mooney’s Bay with the Canadian Cross Country Championships. Seaby, Baggley, and Vroom will lace them up in the Women’s U20 championship where they will be looking to help secure another podium finish for the Lions after back-to-back national titles at the U18 level the past two years. 

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Robertson and Lebel win provincial cross country titles

by linkinbioMastersProvincial

From under-10 to masters runners, triumph echoed throughout the Lions squad at Sunday’s Ontario Cross Country Championships. Battling it out on a challenging course at Toronto’s Downsview Park, the Lions captured six individual medals along with three team medals.

For the first time in more than a decade, a Lions runner took home a provincial senior title as Kevin Robertson took top spot in the men’s eight-kilometre race. The NACAC U23 steeplechase champion bested Melika Ghali of Monarch Athletics Club with a time time of 25 minutes and 6 seconds. 

Also running their way to the top of the podium was Ronan Lebel, who topped the U10 boys race for the second year in a row. Lebel won the one kilometre race in 3 minutes and 58 seconds. Finishing two seconds behind him Ronan was teammate Gustave Côté Hughes for silver. 

Our masters runners brought home a trio of medals led by defending national champion Liz Maguire. The class of the Women’s 55-59 category, Maguire finished the five-kilometre course in 20 minutes and 44 seconds – 13 seconds ahead of second place finisher Christy Barber of the Toronto Harriers. 

Kimberley Howitt nabbed a silver in the Women’s 35-39 category and Jay Sneddon nabbed a bronze in the Men’s 30-34 category. Sneddon’s performance also led the Lions to a team silver in the same category with the help from teammates Fritzlor Auguste and Sam Shi.

In her first post collegiate season, Nina Günther has had tremendous success on the cross country trails this fall. While, she narrowly missed yet another podium performance on Sunday, the University of Ottawa graduate was fifth across the line in the senior women’s eight-kilometre race with a time of 30 minutes and 25 seconds. Teammed with Aria MacDonald (12th), Melina Hamel (13th) and Kylee Fowler (15th) the Lions senior women brought home provincial silver. 

Sunday’s medal for the women was the Club’s first senior team medal at the provincial championships since 2008. That year, the team of Dana Buchanan, Julia Hicks, Robyn Erickson, and Lisa Benzthe were Ontario champions.

Rounding out the medal haul was the U16 girls team, which took home silver behind a dominating win from the Newmarket Huskies. Scoring for the Lions were Kyra Lauter (16), Laila Lebel (20), Dahlia Loreti (21), and Riley Daniels (29). With  a total of 86 points, the quartet narrowly edged out the Durham Dragons and their 89 points.

Full results from Sunday’s races are available online at https://results.raceroster.com/v2/en-US/results/e6jyuaqn3wcjc7nf/results

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OTTAWA LIONS CELEBRATES COACH YOLANDE JONES-GRANDE’S PETRO-CANADA COACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD

by linkinbioNational

The Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club is thrilled to extend its heartfelt congratulations to Coach Yolande Jones-Grande on receiving the prestigious Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award. The award ceremony took place last Friday night at the Sport Leadership Conference in Calgary, Alberta, where Coach Jones-Grande was recognized for her outstanding coaching achievements, particularly in guiding athlete Bianca Borgella to a remarkable double-medal performance at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championship.

The Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award is a testament to Coach Jones-Grande’s dedication, expertise, and significant contributions to the success of her athletes on the international stage. Presented annually at the Sport Leadership Conference by the Coaching Association of Canada and Petro-Canada, this award recognizes coaches whose athletes have excelled at world championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Special Olympics World Games.

The Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club takes immense pride in Coach Jones-Grande’s accomplishments, as she joins the ranks of esteemed coaches within the club, including Glenroy Gilbert and Ian Clarke, who have previously received this prestigious award. The Sport Leadership Conference in Calgary provided a fitting stage to acknowledge Coach Jones-Grande’s coaching excellence before her peers and fellow leaders in the Canadian sports community.

Coach Yolande Jones-Grande’s recognition highlights the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club’s commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and achievement. The Club looks forward to the continued success of athletes under Coach Jones-Grande’s guidance and remains dedicated to supporting coaches who play a crucial role in shaping the future of Canadian athletics.

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Christie-Galloway and Evans finish 8th and 12th respectively at Pan American Games

by Internationallinkinbio

The 19th edition of the Pan American Games concluded on a chilly Sunday evening at Parque Bicentenario in Santiago, Chile. This two-week multi-sport extravaganza saw Canada achieve its second-best medal haul in a non-home Games, with two standout athletes, Keira Christie-Galloway and Stephen Evans, using the platform as a stepping stone towards the upcoming Olympic Games.

Keira Christie-Galloway, a talented hurdler, was the first to hit the track in Santiago. She delivered a solid performance during the 100-meter hurdle semi-final on Halloween night. Qualifying for the final, Keira finished third in her race with a time of 13.36 seconds.

Following her heat, Keira shared her thoughts with Martin Cleary of Ottawa Sport Pages, saying, “I felt good. I went into the race thinking I’ll run my own race and execute. I got out and had a clean race.”

However, the following night presented a stark contrast in weather conditions, as temperatures dropped by 10 degrees Celsius to a chilly 11 degrees, accompanied by rain. In a race where none of the runners managed to break the 13-second barrier, Keira finished in 8th place with a time of 13.60 seconds.

Last Friday night, it was Stephen Evans’ turn to shine. Competing for Canada for the first time, the 800-meter club record holder showcased his talents on the international stage, securing a fourth-place finish in the first of three semi-finals.

As the runners hit the bell lap, Evans was only two-tenths of a second behind the leader. Despite making strong surges in the final 200 meters, the 27-year-old couldn’t secure one of the two automatic qualifying positions, finishing with a time of 1 minute and 48.98 seconds. Evans’ result would place him 12th overall in the final standings.

The performances from Keira and Stephen at the Pan American Games serve as a promising indication of their potential in the lead-up to next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.