From Athletics Canada

A defending Olympic champion, North America’s fastest 5,000m runner, and a slew of national record holders are set to represent Canada at the 2022 World Indoor Championship in Belgrade, Serbia on March 18-20.

It will be the first championship of its kind since 2018, as the 2020 edition of the biannual event was cancelled due to COVID-19. 

A defending Olympic champion, North America’s fastest 5,000m runner, and a slew of national record holders are set to represent Canada at the 2022 World Indoor Championship in Belgrade, Serbia on March 18-20. It will be the first championship of its kind since 2018, as the 2020 edition of the biannual event was cancelled due to COVID-19.   

“This team is a mixed bag with some new athletes on the scene, and then others with tons of experience,” said Athletics Canada head coach Glenroy Gilbert. “We want this meet to be a stepping stone and prelude for our athletes as they prepare for the summer’s World Championships in Eugene.”

At the 2018 edition of the Indoor World Championships, Canada’s contingent brought home just one medal. Gilbert expects this year’s team to contend for high placings across disciplines, and is particularly excited to field what could be Canada’s best 4x400m women’s team ever comprised of Natassha MacDonald, Lauren Gale, Kyra Constantine, Micha Powell and Sage Watson.

In individual events, the team will be led by North American 5,000m record holder Gabriela Debues-Stafford, and Olympic champion in the decathlon Damian Warner, who won Canada’s sole medal, a silver one, at the 2018 indoor championships.

“I’m excited to get back out there and compete again for the first time since Tokyo,” said Warner. “Competing in Belgrade will be a nice way to break up training and good preparation for the outdoor championships later this summer.” 

Thrower and fellow 2020 Tokyo Olympian Sarah Mitton, meanwhile, will be representing Canada for the first time at an Indoor World Championship. Earlier this year, the Brooklyn, N.S. native broke the indoor national shotput record, throwing for a new personal best of 19.16m.

“Everything seems to be lining up nicely this season,” said Mitton. “Training has been going well so far… particularly our final preparations here in California. I am feeling really confident in the circle and I am looking forward to capitalizing on that on the world level in a few weeks.” 

As of March 3, eighteen athletes have so far been selected to the team by achieving the World Athletics standard in their respective events: 

List of confirmed selections  

Bolade Ajomale – Richmond Hill, ON – Charles Allen – Flying Angels Academy – 60 m

Cameron Proceviat – Burnaby, C.-B. – Brit Townsend – Sans club – 1500 m

Damian Warner – London, ON – Gar Leyshon – London Western – Heptathlon

Ehab El-Sandali – Toronto, ON – Gary Westgate – Toronto West – 3000 m

Gabriela DeBues-Stafford – Toronto, ON – Jerry Schumacher – Bowerman Track Club – 3000 m

John Gay – Kelowna, C.-B. – Chris Johnson – Vancouver Thunderbirds – 3000 m

Julie-Anne Staehli – Lucknow, ON – Mark Coogan – Team New Balance – 3000 m

Kyra Constantine – Brampton, ON 0 Quincy Watts – Project Athletics – 4×400 m

Lauren Gale – Ottawa, ON – John Riese – Ottawa Lions – 4×400 m

Lindsey Butterworth – North Vancouver, C.-B. – Brit Townsend – Coastal Track Club – 800 m

Lucia Stafford – Toronto, ON – Jerry Schumacher – Bowerman Track Club – 1500 m

Madeleine Kelly – Pembroke, ON – Terry Radchenko – Royal City Athletics Club – 800 m

Marco Arop – Edmonton, AB – Chris Woods – Sans club – 800 m

Micha Powell – Montréal, QC – Bob Westman – Sans club – 400 m / 4×400 m

Michelle Harrison – Saskatoon, SK – Jason Reindl – Saskatoon Track Club – 60 m haies

Natassha McDonald – Brampton, ON – Project Athletics – 4×400 m

Sage Watson – Medicine Hat, AB – Brad Walker – Vault Crew – 4×400 m

Sarah Mitton – North York, ON – Richard Parkinson – SISU Throws – Lancer du poids

A second list of athletes (below) met the Athletics Canada indoor qualification standard in their respective events.  These athletes will be added to the team if they appear as “Qualified by Entry Standard” or “In World Rankings quota” on the March 9th World Athletics rankings list (hereand quota places remain open in their event.   

Provisionally selected athletes:  

Men’s 60m 

1. Benjamin Williams 

Men’s 400m 

1. Philip Osei 

2. Jalon White 

Men’s 800m 

1. Olivier Desmeules 

2. Stephen Evans 

Men’s 1500m 

1. Aaron Ahl 

2. Kevin Robertson 

3. Jean-Simon Desgagnes 

4. William Paulson 

5. Kieran Lumb 

Men’s 3000m 

1. Rory Linkletter (met WA standard) 

2. Thomas Fafard 

3. Aaron Ahl 

Men’s 60mH 

1. Joseph Daniels 

Women’s 60m 

1. Jacqueline Madogo 

Women’s 400m 

1. Sage Watson 

Women’s 800m 

1. Aurora Rynda 

2. Addy Townsend 

3. Victoria Tachinski 

Women’s 1500m 

1. Addy Townsend 

2. Madison Heisterman 

Women’s 60mH 

1. Mariam Abdul Rashid 

*The ranking order in the provisional list above will only be used if World Athletics ask Athletics Canada to choose between two or more athletes for an invitation. If World Athletics only invites one athlete above, the invitation will be accepted regardless of the ranking.  

**If World Athletics invites an athlete who does not appear on the Provisional Selection list (above), then the invitation will be declined. 

Complete information on the selection process can be found in section 8.E of the World Indoor Selection Criteria document. TAGS