© Copyright – 2015 – Athletics Illustrated
At the 2015 NCAA Track and Field Championships several Canadians performed well to represent their respective universities. Andre De Grasse of Markham, Ontario set Canadian running on its ear by eclipsing national record times in both the 100 and 200-metre events. Although the performances do not count for records because they were wind-aided at 2.7 and 2.4mps, respectively, they account for incredible performances from the 20-year-old UCLA athlete, who is from Markham, Ontario.
Shawn Barber, Canada’s pole vault phenom won the nationals. The Toronto native has been on a tear for several years now and is just 21-years of age. He won with a jump of 5.60m. The University of Akron athlete owns the Canadian record of 5.91m, which he set during this year’s Payton Jordan Invitational.
Justyn Knight of Toronto, who is a freshman at Syracuse University, finished in sixth place in the 5,000m event. On May 2nd at the 2015 Payton Jordan Invitational, Knight ran a new personal best time of 13:34.86. This time he ran 13:50.96 finishing only two seconds behind winner Edward Cheserek. Just weeks before on May 18th Knight won the ACC conference title in the 1500m, despite losing a shoe part way through the race, he finished with just the one shoe in the time of 3:47.85.
Brandon Lord of Whistler, BC, who runs for the University of Georgia, finished in 20th position with a respectable time of 30.19.11 in the 10,000m event. Edward Cheserek also won this race in the time of 28:58.92.
Mississippi State’s Bandon McBride of Windsor, Ontario competed in the 800m final finishing in the time of 1:50.11 for sixth place in a tactical race. All eight finishers were within one-and-a-half seconds of each other, the winning time was 1:49.26. McBride’s personal best time is 1:45.35. Winner Kemboi’s personal best is actually slower at 1:45.58 from 2015.
Jordan Young of Windsor, Ontario finished in seventh place out of 24 competitors that were in the final. He had a best throw of 68.16m. Young represents the University of Virginia Cavaliers.
Villanova’s Rob Denault of Aurora, Ontario raced in the final of the men’s 1500m event. All 13 finishers were within one-and-three-quarters of a second from first place – the range was first place in 3:54.96 to 3:56.76 for last place. Denault’s personal best time is 3:42.26.
Langley, BC’s Georgia Ellenwood in the Heptathlon enters the final day of competition in 10th place out of 22 competitors. It is a tight competition between seventh and seventeenth position, Ellenwood who represent the Wisconsin Badgers could end up moving several places up or down on Saturday.
Ray Dykstra of Beamsville, Ontario finished the javelin competition with a best throw of 74.90m for a solid fourth place showing. He has a personal best distance from the 2014 Canadian national championships that took place in Moncton, NB of 78.58m. Dykstra is from Grimsby, Ontario.