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Grenada’s Kurt Felix leads from defending champion Yordani Garcia in the decathlon at the NACAC Capital Cup Combined Events Invitational, while two-time winner Yorgelis Rodriguez and Nigeria’s Uhunoma Osazuwa share the heptathlon lead after the first day.
The event is part of the IAAF Combined Events Challenge. Both Cuban athletes have better personal bests that their main opponents and look set to defend their titles successfully on the second and final day on Saturday.
Garcia took the lead after running the fastest time in the 100m with 10.94, but Felix moved to the front with 7.44m in the long jump, the only man to surpass seven meters among all 22 contestants. Two-time World and two-time Olympic medallist Leonel Suarez of Cuba hurt his left Achilles and decided to stop.

Felix, the 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, held the overall lead after the third event with a PB of 13.80m in the shot. He extended his advantage with an excellent 2.10m in the high jump, nine centimetres higher than the next best athlete: his brother Lindon Victor.
Garcia was again the fastest in the 400m with 48.37, but Felix finished not far behind with 49.04 to total 4215 after the first day, followed by Garcia (4031) and Juan Carlos de la Cruz of the Dominican Republic with 3872.
“I wanted a little bit of more points. I didn’t have a good start in the 100m. The long jump was not as good as I wanted it to be, but I had a PB in the shot, had a pretty good high jump and finished strong in the 400m. It is good to get some competition in before the Pan American Games and it is also fun to compete with my brother (Lindon Victor) to motivate and push each other. For Day 2, I hope to be able to do well in all events, especially in the hurdles, one of my week events,” said Felix.
The 27-year old Grenadian is just 13 points shy of his day-one score from the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where he took bronze with a national record of 8070.
In the heptathlon, Olympic finalist and Commonwealth silver medallist Jessica Zelinka as expected dominated the 100m hurdles, an event in which she is also an Olympic finalist. She clocked 13.39. Nigeria’s Uhunoma Osazuwa, competing as a guest as she did when she won this competition in 2012, was just 0.02 behind.
Cuba’s 2012 world junior champion Yorgelis Rodriguez, who had clocked 14.00 in the 100m hurdles, equalled her PB of 1.86m in the high jump. But Osazuwa was close behind with 1.83m and held on to the overall lead.
Rodriguez then produced his best toss outside of Cuba in the shot with 13.53 to move to the top as Osazuwa only managed 12.03m. Canadian national champion Jillian Drouin extended her margin over compatriot Zelinka, throwing 13.22m to maintain her third place.
Osazuwa ended the day by posting the fastest time in the 200m, 24.21. Rodriguez finished with 24.77 and they both concluded Day 1 with the same tally: 3703.
For the remaining three events on Saturday, Osazuwa is a better long jumper than Rodriguez, but the Cuban is far stronger in the javelin and 800m. If she equals her season’s bests in the last three events, Rodriguez could even challenge the competition record of 6063.
“My no. 1 goal was to improve my tally from Gotzis. I am feeling well. I am tied in the lead and I will do my best in the remaining three events. It is important to be here and regain the title I won twice. For Day 2, I will change my takeoff foot in the long jump and I am hoping for a good result there,” said Rodriguez.

Zelinka, who completed her first heptathlon ever in Ottawa in the 1990’s, was almost a second faster than Drouin in the 200m and so ended the day in third place with 3518.
“I wanted to open up in Gotzis this year, but I sprained my ankle so I had to find a second meet. It is great to compete in Canada and use it as a test event to see where I am at. I have had Achilles and ankle problems so I was coming here not with a lot of confidence, but I am excited to compete again. I am building for the Pan American Games and the Worlds this year. I have been doing this event for many years and I am still trying to learn and understand my health is no. 1 priority,” said Zelinka.
“Training has been fun, but I want to compete again. I am a competitive person. I have become a bit complacent in my competition because I have so used to training. I just need to get out there and start competing. I am so happy Canada has an IAAF meet at this level,” she added.
The NACAC Capital Cup Combined Events Invitational –now in its fourth edition, has attracted more than 40 athletes from nine countries in the youth, junior and open categories.

Tomorrow evening (Wednesday, June 10^th) at the opening Twilight Meet of the 2015 season, we will begin our launch to re-build our “Ottawa Track & Field Officials Team” working towards our hosting of both the 2017 and 2018 National Championships in Ottawa. These championship combines divisions of Junior (Under 20), Open / Senior and Paralympic athletes.  This means athletes representing Canada (past / present / future) at the highest levels of the sport will be coming to the National Capital to battle for national titles and international team selections.  Over 1000 athletes in these divisions are anticipated.
“Not since the 1980’s when Ottawa played host to almost a decade National Championships has such a process been initiated through the City, Ottawa Tourism and the Ottawa Lions.  In 2017 and 2018 we want to see the majority of officials and technical support officials come from Ottawa”  states Ottawa Lions Head Coach, Andy McInnis. “It will become our championship hosting legacy to the sport for years to come.”  
National Championships Dates – Ottawa
2017 – July 6-9
2018 – July 5-8
The Level 1 primary clinics are to expose interested members to the sport in a 60 minute practical course (1 area of track event officiating / 1 area of a field event officiating).   There are no costs and all participants will then be registered as Level 1 Officials with Athletics Ontario.  There is no pass or fail associated with this process and no exam.   Over the next 1.5 years, this initial registration will then allow primary officials the opportunity to specialize and grow towards  Level 2 and 3 grades which will then open up participation in the 2017 and 2018 National Championship hosting.
Level 1 Clinic Dates:  Interested persons need only attend one date to initiate the process.
Wednesday, June 10              5:00 to 6:00 pm                      – Terry Fox Athletics Facility Finish Line / Twilight Meet #1
Tuesday, June 16                    6:00 to 7:00 pm                      – Terry Fox Athletics Facility Finish Line
Wednesday, June 17              5:00 to 6:00 pm                      – Terry Fox Athletics Facility Finish Line / Twilight Meet #2
Wednesday, June 24              5:00 to 6:00 pm                      – Terry Fox Athletics Facility Finish Line / Twilight Meet #3
There is no pre-clinic registration required but inquiry and questions can be directed to info@ottawalions.com  

Over the weekend, Lions athletes did something that had not been accomplished since 2002, taking home a club record equalling 10 gold medals from the OFSAA Track and Field Championships in Toronto. In addition to the haul of golds, Lions athletes all garnered five silver and two bronze for a total of 17 medals – one more than last year’s take.
Among the many winning performances, two out did all those before them as Keira Christie-Galloway and Larissa Brown each set new OFSAA records in their respective events. Coming off her silver in the long jump on Thursday, Christie-Galloway ran down the competition in Friday’s junior girls 80m hurdles event. After posting the fastest time in the heats, Keira found another gear in the finals, trimming two tenths of a second off the previous provincial standard, crossing the line in 11.24 seconds. The other record on Friday came from Larissa Brown of St. Mark High School who defended her title in the visually impaired 100m with a new record 14.01 seconds. Brown had set the previous standard of 14.20 seconds in 2014.
In addition to the record setters, freshman Lauren Gale of South Carleton and Stanford bound senior Claire Smith each picked up multiple gold medals. Gale, who was gunning for the midget girls 400m record on Friday, was the class of the field with her winning time of 54.76 seconds putting her 30 to 40 meters ahead of her nearest competitor. After comfortably winning the 300m hurdles in a personal best 44.17 seconds, Lauren faced her stiffest competition in the 200m final where she used a late surge to eek out victory by just two hundredths of a second in a personal best 24.60.
For Glebe Collegiate senior Claire Smith, she picked up the distance double which narrowly escaped her grasp in 2014. Smith comfortably captured her first senior girls 1500m title on Friday night with a 4:29.44 second clocking, almost found seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. On Saturday, in her stronger event, the 3000m, Claire appeared to be playing a game of cat and mouse with long time rival Charlotte Prouse of London’s Catholic Central as the two ladies kept exchanging the lead until with about two laps to go, Smith laid down the hammer, breaking Prouse, and running away with a seven second victory.
While she would be unaware at the time, Claire’s victory was the first of a lady Lions sweep of the 3000m OFSAA titles. In the junior category, Shona McCulloch set a new personal best of 9 minutes 37.10 seconds enroute to winning her second OFSAA title in as many years. Finishing things off was Glebe freshman Mei Mei Weston, who was victorious in the midget girls race with a time of 10 minutes 4.03 seconds. Weston was also a bronze medallist in the 1500m.
The final gold of the weekend came from Canterbury senior Erinn Stenman-Fahey, who captured her first OFSAA title in her final high school race. The world junior semi-finalist dropped a negative split on her way to victory in 2 minutes 10.97 seconds. Erinn had priously won silver (2014) and bronze (2013) over 800m at OFSAA.
Other medallists from OFSAA included:
Eric Mitchell – Junior Boys 100m Silver – 11.02 seconds
Eric Mitchell – Junior Boys Long Jump Silver – 6.83 metres
Reilly McCann – Junior Boys 3000m Silver – 8 minutes 37.55 seconds
Wariso Dullo – Midget Boys Javelin Silver – 52.33 metres
Keili Shepherd – Junior Girls 800m Bronze – 2 minutes 16.76 seconds

It was déjà-vu all over again for grade 10 student, Keira Christie-Galloway in the junior girls long jump yesterday as she finished second to Claire Larose from London. As in last year’s midget final, Keira held the lead in the fifth round following her best jump of the day, 5.52m in the second round. However, Larose popped out to 5.65m in round five and cemented her victory with a jump of 5.53m in round six. Christie-Galloway will now turn her focus to the hurdles on day two of the OFSAA championships where she enters as the top ranked runner. Elodie Drew of Lycee Claudel finished fifth after being relegated from fourth place based on a count back from her 5.32m jump.
On the track, six Lions advanced out of Thursday’s prelims including defending OFSAA medalists Claire Smith, Farah Abdul-Karim and Keili Shepherd. While Claire and Farah won their respective heats in the senior girls 1500m and open boys 2000m Steeplechase, Keili was narrowly edged out at the line after she had comfortably secured her place in the final. Also advancing to today’s 1500m finals were Jonathan Rioux, who enters the midget boys final ranked ninth, and Reilly McCann who qualified second in the junior boys race.
The final qualifier on day one belongs grade nine student Lauren Gale of South Carleton. Gale entered the 400m as the clear favourite and did not disappoint in yesterday’s heats. The Canadian Indoor Youth champion went to work right from the gun, taking the outright lead by 150m and never looking back. Lauren crossed the line in a time of 55.05 seconds, nearly fifty meters ahead of her nearest competitor. She will race in today’s final at 3:15pm
Other Lions results from Day 1 are as follows:

With just one day before the 2015 Ontario High School Championships kick off at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, Lions athletes look set to make a splash with more than 35 making the drive down the 401. Based on the results from last week’s regional championship in Brockville, there are a number of athletes to keep on an eye on.
Last week’s qualification meet produced no less than nine record breaking performances, highlighted by midget Lauren Gale’s performances in the 200m, 400m and 300m hurdles. The South Carleton student enters OFSAA ranked first in both the 400m and hurdles, and has the second best seed time for the 200m. For Gale, the potential for an OFSAA record also exists as her performance in the 400m is just 0.03 seconds of the current standard.
Lauren will not be the only potentially looking to get her name in the OFSAA record book. St. Matthews student Keira Christie-Galloway posted winning performances in Brockville of 11.39 seconds in the junior girls 80m hurdles as well as 5.71m in the long jump. Both were personal bests for Christie-Galloway and exceed the current OFSAA standards in each event.
On the boys side, Eric Mitchell of Carleton Place’s Notre Dame High School equaled Oluwasegun Makinde’s regional record in the junior boys 100m with a 10.97 second clocking to go with his record setting 6.99m leap in the long jump. For his efforts, the grade ten student enters the provincial championships as the top ranked athlete in each event.
Other record breakers from regionals include Elodie Drew in the junior girls triple (11.28m) who enters OFSAA ranked third and Shona McCulloch in the junior girls 3000m (10:04.93)  is ranked first. McCulloch was the midget girls 3000m champion in 2014 and owns a personal best of 9:38 from the Penn Relays this April.
Other returning medalists from 2014 include
Erinn Stenman-Fahey – Senior Girls 800m
Claire Smith – Senior Girls 1500m, 3000m
Larissa Brown – Girls Visually Impared 100m
Shyvonne Roxborough – Senior Girls 100m
Farah Abdul-Karim – Open Boys 2000m SC
Keili Shephard – Junior Girls 1500m

While the scoreboard may have read fourth place, it wasn’t the distance shot putter Tim Nedow had been hoping for. With a best throw of 19.96m at the Golden Spike Meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Nedow finished a measly six centimetres off the podium Wednesday night. The Brockville native took to Twitter following the competition, stating displeasure with his result considering the shape he is in. Tim, who has been said to be in close to 21 metre shape based on practice results says it’s “Back to the drawing board in Sweden.  Getting ready for my first Diamond League meet in Rome.” He competes in the Italian capital next Thursday.
Competing the day before in the hammer throw was Sultana Frizell. The Canadian record holder was showing the effects of two weeks of global travel as she could only muster a best effort of 70.94m, well off her seasonal best of 73.66m. Frizell tied for the sixth best throw of the competition with Amanda Bingson of the United States, but was relegated to seventh based on the distance of their second best throw.  Sultana returned to her training base of Kamloops, B.C. Tuesday night where she will prepare for the Canadian Championships in early July.
 

Athletics Canada announced today that Glenroy Gilbert of Ottawa, Ont., will lead the men’s 4×100-metres relay program effective immediately through to the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China.
“The decision was made to help ensure the men’s 4×100-metres relay team is ready to execute at the World Championships,” said Peter Eriksson, Head Coach and Chief Technical Officer.
– See more at: http://athletics.ca/glenroy-gilbert-to-lead-mens-4x100m-program/#sthash.ILoNcIQU.dpuf

Orléans resident Karelle Edwards, an Olympic-hopeful in hurdling, has been chosen as Ottawa’s Pan American Games torchbearer.

The city was given the opportunity to choose one torchbearer, and put out a call for nominations in January.

Edwards said her father’s friend nominated her to cover the downtown route.

“For Canada to have the Pan Am Games is already huge,” said Edwards, 25. “So to be part of the kick-off is an absolute honour.”

To read more, please click here.

If you were to draw up the game plan for one week out from the NCAA Championships, you could look to Divya Biswal’s performance at the ECAC Division III Championships at Springfield College in Massachusetts. The St. Lawrence University senior got things off on the right foot Thursday, with a commanding victory in the triple jump as well as a new personal best in 100m hurdles qualifying.
Starting in her speciality, the triple jump, Divya wasted no time displaying her championship ready form as she bounded out to a seasonal best 12.31m. It would turn out this was more than enough to secure victory, but that didn’t stop her from improving on each of the next two jumps – pushing her seasonal best out to 12.42m and move in two second into the NCAA Division III rankings.
She would keep the good times rolling right into the 100m hurdle preliminaries as she sped to victory in heat two with a new lifetime best of 14.54 seconds. At this point, the time ranks her 22nd in the NCAA, and puts her in a qualifying position for nationals.
On the second day of competition, Divya returned to capture her second gold with a leap of 5.66m in the long jump and would wrap up her championship with a fourth place finish in the 100m hurdles. In total, Biswal accumulated 25 of St. Lawrence’s 45.5, leading them to a third place finish overall.
In other championship action, Matt Bedard put up a big personal best in qualifying for the 400m hurdles at the Summit League Championships with a time of 52.92 seconds. The performance moves him to 8th all-time in club history, but also makes him the number one junior ranked 400m hurdler in Canada and also exceeds the qualifying standard for this summer’s Pan American Junior Championships.
In the final, Bedard was in the lead before struggling with hurdle nine. However, he would finish strong, posting the second best of his life with 53.13 seconds. He would pick up a silver medal as part of North Dakota State’s 4x400m relay and a Summit League team title – the sixth straight for North Dakota State.