OTTAWA — Ottawa Lions athletes Jorai Oppong-Nketiah and Wendy Alexis were recognized this week by Athletics Canada for their performances during the 2025 season.
Oppong-Nketiah was named the recipient of the Myrtle Cook Trophy for the second consecutive year, awarded to Canada’s top U18 female athlete. Alexis earned the Earl Fee Track Athlete of the Year (Masters) honour for the first time in her career following a record-setting campaign.
Oppong-Nketiah’s season was highlighted by her performance at the Canadian Track and Field Championships, where she captured gold in both the 100 and 200 metres to complete the U20 sprint double. Posting times of 11.44 in the 100m and 23.54 in the 200m, Jorai ranked among the top U18 performers globally in 2025.
The 100-metre victory marked her second consecutive national U20 title in the event, placing her within one of the Canadian record for most consecutive wins. Still in the early stages of her career, Oppong-Nketiah continued to establish herself as one of Canada’s top sprint prospects.
Alexis, competing in the W70 category, delivered one of the most outstanding seasons in Canadian masters athletics history. She lowered the W70 world record in the 100 metres three times during the outdoor season, including a mark of 14.54 seconds at the Canadian Track and Field League Final in Ottawa.
Her success began during the indoor season, where she won a title over 60 metres and set a W70 world indoor record in the 200 metres. Alexis also contributed to a world-record performance as part of Canada’s 4×200-metre relay team at last year’s World Indoor Championships.