Lakatos wins 6th medal at Championship; Steacy wins 10th national title; Cummins retires
Moncton, N.B. – The last day of the 2014 Canadian Track and Field Championships saw four Canadian records and seven Championship records to bring the three day total to 7 Canadian Records and 15 Championship records. Notably all seven Canadian records were set by para-athletics athletes. Day three of competition also saw Brent Lakatos win his sixth medal of the event, Jim Steacy won his tenth national title and national team veteran Diane Cummins announced her retirement immediately following what would be her final race.
Damian Warner showed this weekend why he is one of the world’s best decathletes. After setting a personal best in Saturday’s semi-final, the London, Ont., native battled the competition and a headwind to take the 110-metres hurdles title. After an early season injury, Warner showed to be in great form in Moncton and has his sights sent on the Commonwealth Games. “The goal is to win gold. Some icing on the cake would be to get the Canadian record, and maybe Daley Thompson’s Commonwealth record,”explained a happy Warner.
In the 100-metres hurdles final, Phylicia George of Markham, Ont., was able to edge Jessica Zelinka of London, Ont., for the win. The pair ran 13.20 and 13.23 into a1.3 m/s headwind in the first track final of the day.
Sultana Frizell of Perth, Ont., Christabel Nettey of Surrey, B.C., and Shawnacy Barber of Toronto, Ont., each set Canadian Championship records on their way to victory. With a second round toss of 73.78-metres in the hammer throw, Frizell tacked close to two metres onto her previous Championship record. Nettey outdistanced the field in the long jump by recording a best effort of 6.64-metres. Barber, the Canadian record holder in the pole vault, cleared 5.55-metres on his first attempt at the height to defend his title.
The much heralded 1500-metres race between Kate Van Buskirk of Brampton, Ont., and Nicole Sifuentes of Winnipeg, Man., lived up to expectations. Van Buskirk went to the front on the last lap and had enough to hold off a hard-charging Sifuentes over the final 100-metres to defend her title. In the men’s race, Nate Brannen of Cambridge, Ont., used a strong change of gears down the homestretch to power past Charles Philibert-Thiboutot of Quebec, Que., to claim his sixth outdoor 1500-metres Canadian championship.
Defending champion Noelle Montcalm of Windsor, Ont., took home the gold in the women’s 400-metres hurdles with a time of 56.67. On the men’s side, Gabriel El-Hanbli of Repentigny, Que., regained the title he last won in 2010. El-Hanbli went from fourth to first in the last 100-metres to cross the line in first running 51.65.
The men’s and women’s 800-metres finals were highlighted with some strong front running and changing positions for the lesser medals over the final few metres. Melissa Bishop Eganville,Ont., and Brandon McBride of Windsor, Ont., each took the pole position early and held on for the win. Bishop crossed the line in 2:03.23, while McBride clocked in at 1:46.69. Following the women’s 800-metres final, Diane Cummins who took bronze, announced this would be her last race.
Kimberly Hyacinthe of Montreal, Que., and Brendon Rodney of Toronto, Ont., took the last track wins of the Championships with their victories in the 200-metres. In similar fashion, the pair saved their best for the last few metres and moved past the rest of their fields to claim their titles. Battling some notable headwinds, Hyacinthe crossed the line in 23.46, while Rodney finished with a time of 20.80.
Brent Lakatos of Dorval, Que., collected his fifth and sixth titles of the Championships with wins in the T53 wheelchair 800-metres and 5,000-metres. A number of Canadian records were set by para athletes to highlight day three of competition: Pamela Le Jean (T53 para wheelchair Javelin), Becky Richter (F51 para wheelchair Club Throw), Kyle Whitehouse (T38 para ambulatory 200-metres) and Brent Babcock (F51 para wheelchair Club Throw).
In the women’s pole vault, Lindsey Bergevin of Leduc, Alb., took win on misses as the competition saw three vaulters clear 4.10-metres. Jim Steacy won his tenth national Championship in the men’s hammer throw with a toss of 74.68-metres. Steacy will represent Canada at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Day 3 Canadian Champions
Women
Phylicia George, 100m Hurdles, 13.20
Kate Van Buskirk, 1500m, 4:10.83
Noelle Montcalm, 400m Hurdles, 56.67
Melissa Bishop, 800m, 2:03.23
Kimberly Hyacinthe, 200m, 23.46
Meghan O’Brien, T36 para ambulatory 200m, 41.62
Leah Robinson, T37 para ambulatory 200m, 31.92
Cindy Burt, T38 para ambulatory 200m, 34.86
Jessica Frotten, T53 para wheelchair 800m, 2:21.33
Lindsey Bergevin, Pole Vault, 4.10m
Sultana Frizell, Hammer Throw, 73.78m Championship Record
Christabel Nettey, Long Jump, 6.64m Championship Record
Pamela Le Jean, T53 para wheelchair Javelin, 10.72m Canadian Record
Jessye Brockway, T57 para wheelchair Javelin, 13.54m
Becky Richter, F51 para wheelchair Club Throw, 15.72m Canadian Record
Men
Damian Warner, 110m Hurdles, 13.66
Nathan Brannen, 1500m, 3:42.50
Gabriel El-Hanbli, 400m Hurdles, 51.65
Brandon McBride, 800m, 1:46.69
Brendon Rodney, 200m, 20.80
Brent Lakatos, T53 para wheelchair 5000m, 11:28.62
Joshua Cassidy, T54 para wheelchair 5000m, 11:22.51
Brent Lakatos, T53 para wheelchair 800m, 1:44.22
Alexandre Dupont, T54 para wheelchair 800m, 1:43.69
Dustin Walsh, T11 para ambulatory 200m, 25.92
Braedon Dolfo, T13 para ambulatory 200m, 23.78
Jonathan Furey, T37 para ambulatory 200m, 32.10
Kyle Whitehouse, T38 para ambulatory 200, 23.46 Canadian Record
Jackie Marciano, T44 para ambulatory 200m, 25.27
Shawn Barber, Pole Vault, 5.55m Championship Record
James Steacy, Hammer Throw, 74.68m
Benjamin Warnock, Long Jump, 7.49m
Michael Johnstone, F38 para ambulatory Javelin, 22.32m
Alister McQueen, F44 para ambulatory Javelin, 49.14m
Kenneth Trudgeon, F46 para ambulatory Javelin, 36.05m
Brent Babcock, F51 para wheelchair Club Throw, 15.40m Canadian Record
