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If you haven’t heard of William Paulson, don’t feel left out of the running scene. He is Canadian, but ran collegiately in the US and was born to a French-Canadian mother and British father. He grew up in Great Britain. Tetbury, Gloucestershire, to be precise. Paulson competed in the NCAA for Princeton and Arizona State University.
The now 27-year-old won the 2019 Canadian 1500m Championships. He also finished fifth in the NCAA indoors and outdoors championships in the same event. Paulson owns a personal best time of 3:33.97, which he set on April 15 at Cougar Athletics Stadium in Azusa, CA. He also set a new mile (1609m) personal best at the Prefontaine Classic one week ago in the time of 3:52.42. He’s on an upward trajectory.
The Oregon Track Club member will be in the thick of a competitive field in Rabat. A strong crop of middle-distance athletes is lined up including Spain’s Mohamed Katir who owns an impressive 3:28.76 personal best. Katir holds four national records from 1500m to the 10K. The 24-year-old finished in eighth position in the Tokyo Olympic Games 5000m.
Great Britain’s Jake Wightman is also toeing the line. The 27-year-old finished 10th at the Tokyo Olympic Games in the 1500m. His best is a competitive 3:29.47 from Monaco two years ago. Wightman has raced sparingly in 2022 with just on 800m and an indoors 3000m finish to his record. He will be looking to get himself in peak condition this summer for the World Athletics Championships. He may also run the Commonwealth Games and European Champions — it’s a busy summer for the Brits.
Speaking of British athletes, 23-year-old Jake Heyward should make the race interesting. He owns a best of 3:32.82. If the race goes fast, he could set a new personal best. At the Prefontaine Classic, he rolled out a new personal best of 3:51.99.
The 2022 Eugene World Athletics Championships qualifying standard is 3:35.00. The Canadian record in the 1500m event is 3:31.71 by Kevin Sullivan.
Athletics Canada named eight athletes to Team Canada for the World Championships with more to come. Paulson is expected to be named to the team
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