From Athletics Canada

Athletics Canada named 14 athletes four men and 10 women, to represent Canada at the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships that will take place in Birmingham, U.K., from Thursday, March 1, to Sunday, March 4.

The team is led by an Olympic medallist, World Champion and features nine athletes who have competed in an IAAF World Championships or Olympic final.

“The World Indoor Championships in Birmingham are a great competitive opportunity for Canadian athletes,” said Glenroy Gilbert, Athletics Canada’s head coach. “The four-day meet will see some of our top current and upcoming athletes go up against some of the world’s best. This is a small, but a highly competitive team. The standards to make the team were rigorous and we feel those competing in Birmingham are ready to reach finals and compete for medals.”

Leading the charge will be 2016 Olympic bronze medallist in the decathlon, Damian Warner of London, Ont., and 2015 IAAF World Champion in the pole vault, Shawn Barber. Warner received an invitation to take part in the heptathlon and looks to challenge for the world title and threaten the Canadian record in the event. Barber appears to be rounding to form at the right time after achieving the world indoor standard this past weekend in Poland.

“It’s an honour to be invited to compete for Canada at the World Indoor Championships,” said Warner, who won bronze in the decathlon at the 2016 Olympics. “The 2018 IAAF World Indoors will be a great way for our team to build momentum going into this spring’s Commonwealth Games and beyond. The roster is small but features a very talented group of athletes. I know each of them will look to make their mark in Birmingham.”

Joining Warner and Barber will be 2017 World Championships finalists: Crystal Emmanuel of Pickering, Ont. (60-metres), Geneviève Lalonde of Moncton, N.B. (3000-metre), Alysha Newman of London, Ont. (pole vault), Brittany Crew of Toronto (shot put) and 2016 Olympic Games finalist Johnathan Cabral (60-metre hurdles).

Newman and Crew both recently improved their Canadian indoor records and appear to be ready for their shot at a medal in Birmingham. Emmanuel set a season’s best of 7.28 seconds and Cabral won the 60-metre hurdles at the Grand Prix d’Athlétisme de Montréal. Last weekend, Lalonde also became the third fastest Canadian ever at 3000-metres clocking a time of 8:49.78.

Kate Van Buskirk of Brampton, Ont., has been sensational this indoor track season. Over the past month, she’s broken the Canadian indoor mile record and became the second fastest Canadian 3000-metre performer of all-time. Her mile time of 4:26.92 is currently the fastest in the world for 2018.

“Any opportunity to wear the red and white of Canada on the international stage is an honour and a privilege,” said Van Buskirk who will compete in the 1500-metres. “I know that I am representing not only myself, but my teammates and coaches, family and friends, community, city, province and my country. This is my first national team in three and half years and I couldn’t be more proud of or grateful for this opportunity.”

Tim Nedow of Brockville, Ont., has been a stalwart on major championship teams over the past five years and looks to compete for a podium spot in Birmingham. Nedow has been flirting with the 21-metre mark this winter. His season’s best of 20.82-metres has him ranked seventh in the world for 2018.

Other Canadians competing in Birmingham include: Travia Jones of Saskatoon (400-metres), Kelsey Balkwill of Essex, Ont. (400-metres), Jenna Westaway of Calgary (800-metres), Gabriela Stafford of Toronto (1500-metres) and Christabel Nettey of Surrey, B.C. (long jump).

TEAM CANADA – 2018 IAAF WORLD INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Name Hometown Club Coach Event
Kelsey Balkwill Essex, Ont. Border City Athletics Club Kurt Downes 400-metre
Shawnacy Barber Toronto Project Athletics Jeff Hartwig Pole vault
Johnathan Cabral Péribonka, Que. Unattached Tim O’Neil 60-metre hurdles
Brittany Crew Toronto SISU Throws Club Richard Parkinson Shot put
Crystal Emmanuel Toronto Flying Angels Track Club Charles Allen 60-metre
Travia Jones Regina, Sask. Unattached Sanjay Ayre 400-metre
Geneviève Lalonde Moncton, N.B. Speed River Dave Scott-Thomas 3000-metre
Tim Nedow Brockville, Ont. Ottawa Lions Track & Field Club Richard Parkinson Shot put
Christabel Nettey Surrey, B.C. Unattached Jeremy Fischer Long jump
Alysha Newman London, Ont. Bolton Pole Vault Doug Wood Pole vault
Gabriela Stafford Toronto University of Toronto Track and Field Club Terry Radchenko 1500-metres
Kate Van Buskirk Brampton, Ont. Unattached Dave Reid 1500-metres
Damian Warner London, Ont. London Western Les Gramantik Heptathlon
Jenna Westaway Calgary Calgary International Track Club Carlos Handler 800-metres

STAFF

Name Hometown Position
Glenroy Gilbert Ottawa Team Head Coach
Simon Nathan Ottawa Team Leader
Kristine Deacon Cambridge, Ont. Team Manager
Charles Allen Toronto Team Coach
Heather Hennigar Victoria Team Coach
Les Gramantik Calgary Team Coach
Richard Parkinson Stouffville, Ont. Team Coach
Dr. Simon Pearson Victoria Team Chiropractor
Garfield Crooks Vancouver Team Massage Therapist
Dana Way Winnipeg Beach, Man. Team Biomechanist

For the latest from the 2018 IAAF Indoor World Championships, follow Athletics Canada on TwitterFacebookand Instagram or visit www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-indoor-championships.

CBC LIVE STREAMING SCHEDULE:

Thursday, March 1 (Day 1):
12:50 p.m. ET – afternoon session

Friday, March 2 (Day 2):
4:50 a.m. ET – morning session
12:50 p.m. ET – afternoon session

Saturday, March 3 (Day 3):
4:50 a.m. ET – morning session
12:35 p.m. ET – evening session
5 p.m. ET – highlights

Sunday, March 4 (Day 4):
9:30 a.m. ET – evening session
3 p.m. ET – highlights

CBC TV BROADCAST SCHEDULE:

Saturday, March 3: 5-6 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 4: 3-4 p.m. local