OTTAWA - July 21, 2021: Joe Fast competing at Ottawa Summer Twilight #12 at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility.

Fast times at Twilight #12

by linkinbioLocal

Its almost as though every new week brings a new Canadian record for Bianca Borgella. In all honesty, that is likely because it has been the case in each of the first four Twilight Meets of the summer. The 18 year old sprinter from the town of Hammond, about ten minutes east of Cumberland, took down the one remaining T13 sprint record she did not hold Wednesday night  – the 200m.

Running in the heats of Wednesday’s 200m, Borgella crossed the line in a time of 26.05 seconds to take more than three seconds off the previous record of 29.53 set by Shaunelle Gregory in 2015. Borgella nearly set the record again in the final, finishing fourth in 26.06.

Alexandra Telford also sped her way to a fast time at Twilight #12 as she took top spot in the 400 metre hurdles. The 25-year old architecture student made a strong debut in the event, as she crossed the line in 1:01.36. The time moves Telford to 14th in Club history. Helena Jovic, who sits seventh in those same rankings, was second in 1:02.27.

The men’s 800 metres was moving on Wednesday night as St. Laurent Selects’ Kevin Robertson gave Achraf Tadili’s Twilight Record of 1:48.88 a scare with his 1:49.11 clocking. In seventh, Joe Fast was the top Lion with a new personal best of 1:54.96. Lions youth runners David Moulongou and Phoenix Bouma also got in on the PB train, as they cracked the two minute barrier for the first time, running 1:59.10 and 1:59.76 respectively. Moulongou was also quite impressive in the 200 metres where he ran another personal best, crossing the finish line in 22.95 seconds.

For the under-20 athletes, Wednesday’s Twilight was a great final tune up as they head to Toronto this weekend to compete in the Ontario Championships. You can watch the action live on Athletics Ontario’s YouTube Channel and follow live results at https://athleticsontario.ca/statistics/results/live/2021/0722-ontario-u20-champs/index.htm

(Ottawa, Canada---30 June 2021) Bianca Borgella setting a T13 Canadian record in the 400m at Ottawa Summer Twilight Series Meet #9. Photograph 2021 Copyright Sean Burges / Mundo Sport Images.

Borgella Breaks Canadian Record in 400m debut

by linkinbioNational

In the first 400 metre race of her life, Bianca Borgella did something most Canadian teenagers can only dream of – she set a new national record. Last Wednesday night, during the first Twilight Meet of the summer season, the 18-year old sprinter raced her way into the Canadian record books when she crossed the line in a time of 1:07.63* to beat the previous T13 mark of 1:07.80 set by L. Wong a quarter century before Borgella was born.

Bianca was recently classified in the T13 category at an International Paralympic Committee (IPC) event in Phoenix, Arizona last month. Athletes in the category have the highest visual acuity among those with a vision impairment and/or a visual field of less than 40 degrees diameter. Suffering from Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), which resulted in astigmatism that impairs her ability to see objects at a distance, Bianca had begun the journey to be internationally classified more than 15 months ago, but was delayed because of travel restrictions due to COVID.

Borgella, who has primarily focused on the 100 and 200 metre distances was pleasantly surprised by the new record, saying, “A new record, that’s pretty cool,” after being informed of of the performance’s significance.

“Having never raced the 400 metres before, it was hard to know how she would approach the event,” said coach Zach Quevillon, who believes there is likely to be more records in this young runner’s future as she figures out racing tactics. “She blasted down the backstretch in 27 seconds through the first 200m. The second half of the race was painful; she will probably leave a little bit more in the tank next time.”

*subject to the usual ratification procedures