Men’s and women’s 200m
Andre De Grasse surprised athletics fans when he didn’t qualify for the finals in the 100-metre event at the 2023 Canadian Track and Field Championships this weekend. He finished a shocking ninth. On Sunday, he turned his game around and crushed the field with a 20.01 performance in the 200m.
Aaron Brown took second in the time of 20.10, while Brendon Rodney clocked 20.15 for third at McLeod Stadium in Langley.
The Champion track power couple Nia Ali and Andre De Grasse are going to World Championships yet another year‼️She became the 🇺🇸 National Champion in the 100mh and he became the 🇨🇦 National Champion in the 200m with a great comeback from the 100m. pic.twitter.com/3mxTjiEtRm
— Track Spice 🌶️ (@trackspice) July 30, 2023
In the women’s 200m, Jacqueline Madogo clocked a 22.91 performance for the win. She was followed in by Sade McCreath at 23.19 and Zoe Sherar in 23.33. For the three athletes, the performances represent new lifetime best at the distance, however, the qualifying standard for the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships is 22.60. The other option is to be ranked top-48 in the world to qualify if Athletics Canada invites the athletes to go, however, the 48th ranked woman in the world currently, is American Kennedy Blackmon with her best of 22.52 run this season in May. Finally, World Athletics, the global governing body has the ability to invite athletes but it is unlikely to happen. The three athletes may be selected for the Pan American Games where 23.28 is the benchmark to be selected to the 2023 Games going on in Santiago, Chile starting October 20.
For the men, the qualifying standard for Bupaest is 20.16. All three men ran fast enough and are ranked globally at sixth for Brown, 14th for de Grasse and 39th for Rodney.
Men’s 1500m
Keiran Lumb of Vancouver won the men’s 1500m event, upsetting Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (CPT) from Quebec 3:37.24 to 3:38.01. Lumb does own a 3:35.43 best from June this year, however, last month CPT clocked a lifetime best of 3:32.94 in the event. Taking third was Jean-Simon Desgagnés in the time of 3:40.59. The qualifying standard is 3:34.20. Racing tactically at nationals is playing with fire, as the qualifying standard almost always needs to be reached, which CPT has already achieved. They are ranked 31st and 54th, respectively. In the 1500m the top-56-ranked athletes can make their national team. National wins are auto-selected. Lumb earned the auto-qualifier. One wonders if it was a gift from CPT. Perhaps someone owes someone else bière artisanale.
Kieran Lumb wins Canadian Champs 1500m title, defeating 4x champion Charles Philibert-Thiboutot. 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/P8NnE3nGal
— On (@on_running) July 31, 2023
Women’s 1500m
On the heels of Canada’s all-time greatest 1500m runner and holder of seven national records Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (GDS) (see below) posting on Instagram, the latest on the status of her injury, sister Lucia took over for a nationals win, defending her 2022 title. Sadly, the injury or “condition,” will leave GDS out of Budapest and reshuffles her training focus to come back for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
🇨🇦TITLE DEFENDED🇨🇦
— Ben Steiner (@BenSteiner00) July 30, 2023
Toronto Varsity Blues alumnus Lucia Stafford wins the women’s 1500m for the second year in a row.
After she shifted her training back to Toronto from Nike Bowerman this off-season.
4:09.52, with a massive kick on the final 200m.#USPORTS pic.twitter.com/YFvA3o6zke
Stafford clocked a 4:09.52 performance for the win, while Simone Plourde finished nearly a second back at 4:10.36. Regan Yee, who earlier in the meet toyed with Geneviéve Lalonde’s national record in the 3000m steeplechase took third in the time of 4:11.18. Why not? She was running on her home track in Langley, BC. She represents the Langley Mustangs.
Stafford owns a best of 4:02.03, which she set in May this year. She is now ranked 47th — good to go on three accounts.
