Posts tagged: Canadian Championships

The Ottawa Lions saved their biggest fireworks for the final day of the 2025 Canadian Track and Field Championships, capping the meet with record-breaking runs, national titles, and a podium flurry in front of a roaring home crowd at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility.

The headline performance came from the U20 men’s 4×400-metre relay team of Ayoub Shangai, Ange-Mathis Kramo, William Sanders, and Zachary Jeggo, who obliterated their own Canadian Club record of 3:14.80 set earlier this year. The quartet stopped the clock in a stunning 3:10.62, upgrading from last year’s silver medal while also rewriting the Canadian Club U23 and Open records — both previously held by Lions squads.

In the U20 women’s 200 metres, Jorai Oppong-Nketiah continued to light up the track with a blistering personal best of 23.54 seconds to claim gold. The victory completed a sprint double for the 17-year-old, who also won the 100m earlier in the week — mirroring the feat she accomplished at last year’s Canadian U18 Championships.

Safwan El Mansari thrived under the championship spotlight, running a personal best of 1:51.14 to capture silver in the U20 men’s 800m. The first Lions male to reach the U20 800m podium since Yves Sikubwabo’s 2012 gold, El Mansari also moved to #6 on the club’s all-time list.

The senior women’s 4x400m continued their dominance, securing a seventh consecutive national title. Alexandra Telford, Sydney Smith, Maëliss Trapeau, and Lauren Gale battled strong winds to finish in an impressive 3:38.31— the second-fastest run in Canadian Club history, behind only the Lions’ 3:35.46 record set in 2023. The Lions B team of Rosemary Holmes, Tatiana Pender, Brooklyn McCormick, and Cora McQuinn took silver in 3:50.30.

Those victories were just the start of a busy afternoon on the baton exchange, as the Lions kept piling up medals across the relay program. The U20 women’s 4x100m team of Chloë Martineau, Teagan Casselman, Kaiya Woodcock, and Livia Buffone stormed to bronze in 47.58, breaking the club record of 47.68 that had stood since 2007. Not to be outdone, the senior women’s 4x100m squad of Paulina Procyk, McQuinn, Courtney Cenac, and Amy Zhang struck gold in 48.19, keeping the Lions atop the national sprint relay podium.

On the men’s side, the senior 4x400m quartet of Leewinchell Jean, El Mansari, William Harris, and David Moulongou battled to a tight bronze-medal finish in 3:16.03, while the senior 4x100m team of Ayomide Omotayo, Leo Wallner, Quinn Lyness, and Fabrice Nonez also claimed bronze with a time of 43.62. In the U20 4x100m, Jaime Tapa, Jamie Meikle, Alexander Forzley, and Xavier Placid stopped the clock in 42.23 for third place — a mark that now ranks #5 all-time in club history.

The final relay podium of the Championships came from the U20 women’s 4x400m, where Shannon Dewar, Norah Nitta MacKay, Sophia McIntyre, and Ellie McGregor combined for a bronze-medal run of 3:55.04.

With an incredible 11 medals on the final day of competition, the Lions closed out the Championships with 19 medals overall. Fuelled by the fantastic home crowd, the team ended the week in emphatic fashion — rewriting history, extending streaks, and setting the stage for the 2026 Canadian Track and Field Championships, which will return to Terry Fox Athletic Facility from June 17–21, 2026.

Full results are available on our website.
Club rankings are available at https://milesrowat.shinyapps.io/ottl_rankings/

The medal count continued to climb for the Ottawa Lions on Saturday as four more athletes reached the podium on Day 4 of the 2025 Canadian Track and Field Championships at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility.

In one of the day’s most emotional moments, Maëliss Trapeau delivered a golden homecoming for the host club, capturing the open women’s 800 metres title in a thrilling finish under the stadium lights. Her time of 2:01.79 edged out Royal City’s Jazz Shukla (2:01.95), securing both the first senior national title of her career and the first senior gold medal of the meet for the Ottawa Lions.

“It’s so nice. I’m from the Lions, so it’s like being home,” the 25-year-old told Ottawa Sports Pages. “A lot of people are cheering me on. It’s really nice to hear my name.”

Trapeau’s victory also carries historical significance: she becomes only the second Lion ever to win the women’s 800m national title, following in the footsteps of three-time Olympian Melissa Bishop-Nriagu, who claimed gold on the same track in 2017.

In U20 competition, Zachary Jeggo added to his growing medal collection by winning gold in the 400 metre hurdles, stopping the clock at 52.39. The victory completed a successful title defense for Jeggo, who won U18 gold in the same event last year. Earlier in the championships, he also earned bronze in the U20 400 metres with a seasonal best of 46.87—the second-fastest time of his career.

Daniel Cova also doubled his medal haul, adding U20 1500 metre bronze to his 5000 metre silver from Thursday. Cova made a bold move mid-race, breaking from the pack and pushing the pace from 700 to 1400 metres, before being caught in the final stretch.

Rounding out Saturday’s medal performances was Alexandra Telford, who earned her first individual national medalwith a bronze in the U20 women’s 400 metre hurdles. After collecting seven national medals in relay events, Telford’s solo breakthrough came in impressive fashion as she ran a seasonal best of 59.86 to claim third place.

Elsewhere on the day, Maria Okwechime produced her best long jump performance of the season, leaping a wind-aided 6.11 metres to finish fourth in the competition..

Under brilliant blue skies and in front of a packed home crowd at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, Jorai Oppong-Nketiah delivered a statement performance, sprinting to her second consecutive Canadian U20 100-metre title. The 17-year-old electrified the stadium with a seasonal-best 11.44 seconds in the semi-final before storming to victory in the final, capping off a golden moment on a picture-perfect day for the Ottawa Lions.

After a string of close finishes earlier in the season, including a loss to Speed Academy’s Elizabeth Tannis at both the OFSAA Championships and the Ontario U20 final, Oppong-Nketiah flipped the script when it mattered most—stopping the clock at 11.48 to reclaim the national crown. She’ll be back in action Sunday in the 200m semi-finals, looking to improve upon her silver medal finish from last year.

In the U20 men’s 400 metres, Zachary Jeggo returned to the podium for the second consecutive year, claiming bronze with a blistering 46.87—the second-fastest time of his career. The race was the deepest in championship history, requiring 47.67 just to make the final. Teammate Ange-Mathis Kramo continued his strong meet with a sixth-place finish in a personal best 47.33, his second PB in as many days.

Earlier in the day, Jeggo led a strong Lions contingent in the 400-metre hurdles qualifying rounds. The reigning national U20 silver medallist comfortably advanced to Saturday’s final with a 53.56 clocking, the second-fastest time in U20 men’s qualifying. David Moulongou, coming off a PB at the World University Games, looked sharp once again with a 52.72, ranking him fifth overall. On the women’s side, Alexandra Telford and Rosemary Holmes both earned return trips to the national final, qualifying third and seventh respectively in the open women’s 400m hurdles.

Olympian Lauren Gale came agonizingly close to the podium in the open women’s 400 metres, finishing fourth in 51.81 seconds. Running from lane 7, Gale went out hard and held a medal position until the closing strides, ultimately falling just short in one of the day’s most thrilling finishes.

In the senior women’s 800m semi-finals, both Maëliss Trapeau and Sydney Smith secured spots in Saturday evening’s final. Trapeau looked composed and in control, cruising to a win in her heat with a time of 2:03.85, while Smith claimed an automatic qualifier with her third-place finish in 2:04.53.

In field event action, Eli Mordel equalled his personal best in the pole vault, clearing 4.30 metres to place sixth in the U20 men’s final. Mallea McMullin delivered a solid effort in the U20 women’s javelin, finishing seventh with a throw of 36.24 metres.

Meanwhile, in the open women’s shot put, Lions throwers were in the mix throughout. Brianna Asiamah landed just outside the medals in fourth with a best of 13.03 metres, while teammate Jessica Gyamfi followed closely in fifth at 12.68 metres.

The action continues Saturday, culminating in on Sunday at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. For full schedule, tickets, and event info, visit athletics.ca.

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The Canadian Track and Field Championships presented by Bell got underway Thursday at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, and the hometown Lions wasted little time making their mark with a flurry of personal bests and semifinal qualifications across the board.

Headlining the day was Jaime Tapa, who sprinted to a personal best of 10.81 seconds in the U20 men’s 100 metres, securing his spot in Friday’s semifinal. The time marks the 16th fastest in club history, continuing a strong season for the 18-year-old.

In the U20 women’s 100 metres, Paulina Procyk came heartbreakingly close to her lifetime best, clocking 12.28—just 0.01 seconds off her PB. While she narrowly missed advancing, Procyk will be back on the track Saturday for the 100m hurdles semifinals.

Also in the U20 100m heats, Amy Zhang and Kierra McGillivray each set personal bests of 12.73 and 12.87, respectively, gaining valuable national championship experience in their first appearances at the meet.

The momentum carried through the 400 metres, where Sophia McIntyre kicked off the day in style by lowering her PB to 58.67 seconds and advancing to Thursday’s U20 women’s semifinals. In the open women’s section, Cora McQuinn also punched her ticket to the semis with a personal best of 57.06.

On the men’s side, William Harris opened his summer season with a solid 50.27 in the open 400m, advancing to Friday’s semifinals.

Closing out the evening, Jacob Puvan delivered a statement performance in the U20 men’s 1500 metres. The 19-year-old chopped four seconds off his previous best, crossing the line in 4:07.43 to cap a successful first day for the Ottawa Lions.

The action continues Thursday culminating Sunday at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. For full schedule, tickets, and event info, visit athletics.ca.

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With more than 100 athletes set to compete across the U20, Open, and Para categories, the Ottawa Lions are primed for a strong showing this week as the Canadian Track and Field Championships return to the Terry Fox Athletic Facility.

The last time the nation’s best gathered in Ottawa for the championships in 2018, the host club racked up an impressive 22 medals—including a shot put title by current Lions Youth Director Tim Nedow and a sweep of the Open 4x400m relays. With the home crowd behind them once again, the Lions will look to build on that success.

U20 Contenders Poised for Podium Push
Leading the charge in the U20 category is Jorai Oppong-Nketiah, the reigning national champion in the women’s 100 metres. A year ago, the sprint sensation blazed to gold in 11.39 seconds after setting the Canadian U18 record in 11.38 during the semi-finals. This season, Oppong-Nketiah enters ranked fourth in the 100m and ninth in the 200m, where she won silver in 2023.

In the men’s sprints, all eyes will be on the quartet of Ange-Mathis Kramo, Ayoub Shangai, Zachary Jeggo, and William Sanders—fresh off their Canadian U20 Club Record in the 4x400m relay. All four will contest the individual 400m, with Jeggo leading the national rankings at 46.62. Shangai, a first-time national competitor, enters sixth at 47.39, with Kramo and Sanders also ranked inside the top 20.

Jeggo, a multi-talented threat, also headlines the 400m hurdles where he holds the top seed of 51.69 from his OFSAA title run. He’ll be joined by Kyle London, who is ambitiously taking on the 400m hurdles–decathlon double.

Middle-distance up-and-comer Safwan El Mansari enters the 800m ranked tenth nationally. The University of Ottawa student has had a breakout season, including a massive personal best of 1:51.51 set earlier this month at the CTFL Final—nearly three seconds faster than his 2024 best.

On the women’s side, first-year U18 athlete Ellie McGregor will also compete in the 800m after a breakthrough performance of 2:09.38 at the CTFL Final. The 15-year-old has accelerated her performances in 2025, moving to #4 on the club’s all-time list and establishing herself as a rising star in the middle distances.

In the distance events, Daniel Cova is aiming for a memorable send-off before heading to Iona University this fall. The Louis-Riel grad will double in the 5000m and 1500m, where he ranks fifth nationally among U20s with a personal best of 3:47.95.

Field event newcomers and veterans alike are also poised to shine. Fallo Douramodou, one of only 12 U20 men in Canada to clear two metres in the high jump this season, will look to leap onto the podium with a new lifetime best. Sadie Gilbert, the reigning indoor champion in the shot put, enters with a best of 12.98m and will be looking to improve upon last year’s fourth-place finish. In javelin, Mallea Mullin—the 2023 U16 national champ—enters the Championships ranked fourth with a PB of 42.60m.

Senior Stars Return for Glory
Two-time Olympian Lauren Gale headlines the senior entries, doubling in the 200m and 400m. Her season-best of 51.00 ranks her second nationally behind Olympic 400m hurdles champion Savannah Sutherland. A victory would mark Gale’s first senior national title, having previously won U20 gold in 2019.

In the women’s 800m, 2023 national finalist Sydney Smith will be joined by former University of Ottawa standout Maëliss Trapeau, who returns to the capital for her first competition in Canada since the 2020 U SPORTS Championships. A dual citizen of France and Canada, Trapeau has spent the past four summers competing overseas. She enters the Championships as a top medal contender, boasting the highest World Athletics ranking in the field (67th) and a personal best of 1:59.09.

On the men’s side, Stephen Evans looks to reach his third consecutive national final in the 800m. The 2023 bronze medalist enters with a season’s best of 1:48.96.

The women’s 400m hurdles could prove to be one of the most exciting events of the week for the Lions. Alexandra Telford and Rosemary Holmes—finalists at last year’s Olympic Trials—enter ranked fourth and fifth respectively and are coming off a dominant 1-2 finish at the CTFL Final where Holmes took top spot.

For the men, David Moulongou returns to action in the 400m hurdles after his Canadian national team debut at the World University Games, where he posted a PB of 52.24 and anchored the 4x400m to a sixth-place finish.

In the throws, Jessica Gyamfi—fresh off representing Canada at the World University Games—will look to crack the podium, ranking fourth in shot put and fifth in discus. On the men’s side, Connor Fraser, last year’s national silver medalist in discus, enters ranked third after a PB of 51.55m. Fraser will also contest the shot put where he enters ranked fifth, just behind teammate Liam Davis—last year’s U20 silver medalist.

The action begins Wednesday and continues through Sunday at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. For full schedule, tickets, and event info, visit athletics.ca.

🎟 Schedule: Download Here
🎫 Tickets: Purchase Here

The opening day of the 2025 Canadian Indoor Championships at York University’s Toronto Track and Field Centre saw Ottawa Lions athletes burst out of the blocks with a pair of championship records and several podium finishes.

Eli Mordel kicked off his weekend in spectacular fashion, blazing to a time of 8.09 seconds in the prelims of the U18 men’s 60m hurdles. The performance not only secured him the top seed going into the final but also established a new championship record, eclipsing the previous mark of 8.15. Mordel would go on to finish third in the final later in the day with a time of 8.28 seconds, earning a spot on the podium in one of the most competitive events of the meet.

Not to be outdone, Maxime Cazabon continued his dominant indoor campaign by claiming gold in the U16 boys’ high jump. The 14-year-old cleared 1.90 metres to secure the victory and set a new championship record in the process. The jump adds to an already impressive season for Cazabon, who is quickly establishing himself as one of Canada’s top young jumpers.

In the U20 women’s pole vault, Balqis Chouikhi soared to a second-place finish, clearing 3.50 metres. The result marks Chouikhi’s first national medal at the U20 level and matches her her lifetime best set earlier this season.

Closing out the Lions’ medals on Day 1 was Liam Davis, who powered his way to a gold medal in the open men’s weight throw. Davis launched the implement 14.78 metres to claim top spot. This is Davis’ first national gold medal following U20 shot put silver last summer..

Competing in the open women’s triple jump, Ella-Grace Gilbert landed a best mark of 11.08 metres, good enough for a bronze medal. The 21-year-old has really raised the bar for herself this indoor season with each one of her competitions exceeding the 11 metre barrier.

The Canadian Indoor Championships continue through Sunday, with more Lions athletes set to hit the track and field in search of national glory.

For live results visit https://live.athletics.ca/meets/45665

To watch online, visit athleticscanada.tv (subscription required)