Inferno_Flash© Copyright – 2015 – Athletics Illustrated

Athletes from around the world will gather in Guelph, Ontario, May 30th for the annual Speed River Inferno Track and Field Meet. They will arrive from at least 20 different countries ready to compete in the National Track League’s newest addition.  Each of the NTL’s meets will be exciting, as 2015 is offering up qualification opportunities for the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games, 2015 Beijing IAAF World Track and Field Championships and the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Track fans in and around the city are fortunate to have this meet take place as a stand-alone event, the inclusion into the NTL provides greater visibility for the Inferno. Guelph joins Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria and Halifax in the tour, while the City of Champions, Edmonton, will double up as they will also host the 2015 National Track and Field Championships in July.

At least 20 Olympians will be competing in the Inferno including Edmonton’s Angela Whyte who is one of Canada’s best all-time 100m hurdlers. She has represented Canada twice in the Olympics and owns three medals from the Commonwealth Games and two from the Pan American Games. Her personal best is a fast 12.63. Whyte will have her competition, as Nikkita Holder (12.80) and Phylicia George (12.65) will be competing for one of two spots on the Canadian team going to the Pan Am Games. All three will be very capable of taking the qualification time of 13.00. But only three Canadians per event maximum can go to the Worlds – top-two to Pan Ams.

Melissa Bishop is also in the meet, she is Canada’s second all-time fastest 800m runner with her best of 1:59.70, only the legendary Diane Cummins has run faster. The 26-year-old Eganville, Ontario native competed in the 2012 London Olympics and 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. She is one of only four Canadians to run under the two-minute barrier. To qualify for the Worlds, she will need to run under 2:01 – something that she has done many times. Karine Belleau-Beliveau with her best of 2:01.13 and Rachel Aubry (2:02.05), will be working very hard to earn a spot.

The men’s 800m event should be a very exciting race two watch, as five of the 12 competitors own personal bests that are under the magic 1:46 benchmark – the Canadian qualification time for Worlds, while three more have run under 1:47 – four are Olympians.

The men’s 5,000m race should also prove to be exciting, as we see the comeback of Geoff Martinson who, while attending UBC to become a pharmacist, will try to qualify to represent Canada once again. He is a former University of Victoria Vike. Originally from Prince George, the Vancouver-based athlete has moved up from the 1500m distance to the 5,000m. His comeback started in earnest in Palo Alto, California at the 2015 Payton Jordan Invitational where he ran a solid 13:56.39. His personal best is 13:43.45. Martinson will have his competition as five athletes own faster personal bests including Vancouver’s Luc Bruchet with his 13:33.20, Jake Riley (13:32.82), Ben Hubers (13:35.97), Ross Proudfoot (13:38.32) and Zack Mayhew from the US with his best of 13:41.95. Martinson has the speed as he represented Canada during the 2011 Daegu IAAF World Track and Field Championships in the 1500m distance and owns a personal best of 3:37.56. In order for Canadian men to qualify for the Worlds in Beijing they will need to run at least 13:23 and finish top-three at Nationals in Edmonton.

There is a strong women’s 1500m section, however, some of Canada’s best are not listed. As per any event, regardless of who shows up only the top-two athletes in Canada can make the team for Pan Ams per event and only the top-three under the qualification standard can make Team Canada for the World Championships – racing well must take place at every meet this spring. Saying that, Kerri Gallagher of the US leads a strong field with her best of 4:09.64, however, Canada is home to at least half a dozen women who can run that fast, this is a great opportunity for the athletes who have run near 4:10, to move up.

Race Director Chris Moulton wrote, “The competition will feature local stars Taylor Milne, Alex Genest and recent CIS Male Athlete of The Year Ross Proudfoot. Headlining the Olympic Athletes attending are Angela Whyte and Phylicia George both Olympic Finalists. Countries from around the globe will be represented including six athletes from Cuba as well as athletes from Jamaica, Barbados, Lithuania, Australia, Nigeria and Germany.”

International Sections

Women’s 200 Metres – Canadian Worlds standard: 23.20

Kim Hyacinthe- 22.78
Cleo Van Buren (USA)- 22.88
Crystal Emmanuel- 22.89- Olympian
Shai-Anne Davis- 23.12
Khamica Bingham- 23.46
Jenna Martin- 23.60- Olympian
Nicole Sassine 23.68
Verone Chambers (JAM)-23.73

Women’s 800 Metres – Worlds standard: 2:01.00

Melissa Bishop- 1:59.70- Olympian
Karine Belleau-Beliveau- 2:01.13
Rachel Aubry- 2:02.05
Gilda Casanova (CUB)- 2:02.50
Stephanie Herrick (USA)- 2:04.47
Gabriela Stafford- 2:04.61
Celia Peters- 2:04.73
Bre’Anna Smith (USA)- 2:05.11
Titi Fagade (NGR)- 2:05.76

Women’s 1500 Metres – Worlds standard: 4:06.50

Kerri Gallagher (USA)- 4:09.64
Rebecca Tracy (USA)- 4:12.14
Sasha Gollish- 4:12.48
Carise Thompson- 4:14.20
Kelsey Duerksen (USA)- 4:16.21
Genevieve Lalonde- 4:16.46
Erin Koch (USA)- 4:18.68
Morgan Mosby (USA)- 4:19.86
Sophie Watts- 4:20.07
Alex Lucki- 4:22.67
Emma Tallman- 4:23.11

Women’s 100 Hurdles – World standard: 13.00

Angela Whyte- 12.63- Olympian
Phylicia George- 12.65- Olympian
Nikkita Holder- 12.74- Olympian
Christie Gordon- 13.20
Karelle Edwards- 13.36
Michelle Young- 13.38
Alexa Hrycun- 13.90
Micaela Maclean- 13.95

Women’s 400 Hurdles – Worlds standard: 46.20

Fawn Dorr- 55.57
Sarah Wells- 55.65- Olympian
Noelle Montcalm- 55.81
Mackenzie Hill (USA)- 56.25
Egle Staisiunaite (LTH)- 56.39- Olympian
Ashante Little (GB)- 56.69
Jen Cotten- 56.86
Mariam Abdul-Rashid- 57.42

Women’s High Jump – Worlds standard: 1.94m

Maya Pressley (USA)- 1.92m
Uhunoma Osazuwa (NGR)- 1.85m- Olympian
Elizabeth Evans (USA)-1.84m
Emma Kimoto- 1.83m
Danielle Delage- 1.76m
Maja Naruscewicz- 1.74m
Wanetta Kirby (US Virgin Islands)- 1.73

Men’s 200 Metres – World’s standard: 20.50

Tremaine Harris- 20.22- Olympian
Roberto Skyers (CUB)- 20.24- Olympian
Rubin Williams (USA)- 20.34
Gavin Smellie- 20.45- Olympian
Reynier Mena (CUB)- 20.54
Dontae Richards-Kwok 20.74
John Lundy (USA)- 20.90
Dushane Farrier- 21.26

Men’s 800 Metres – Worlds standard: 1:46.00

Andy Gonzalez (CUB)- 1:45.30- Olympian
Richard Jones (USA)- 1:45.56
Anthony Romaniw- 1:45.60
Raidel Acea (CUB)- 1:45.62- Olympian
Moise Joseph (HAI)- 1:45.74- Olympian
Aaron Evans (BER)- 1:46.26
Julius Mutekanga (UGA)- 1:46.30- Olympian
Sean Obinwa (NGR)- 1:46.68
Alex Ullman- 1:47.71
Duncan Philllips (USA)- 1:47.82
Lucas Manring (USA)- 1:48.43
Corey Bellemore- 1:48.48

Men’s 1500 Metres – World standard: 3:36.20

Jack Bolas (USA)- 3:35.54
Taylor Milne- 3:36.00- Olympian
Jeremy Rae- 3:38.29
Dan Gorman- 3:40.96
Matt Jurysta- 3:41.69
Connor Darlington- 3:43.15
Kyle Grieve- 3:44.64
Alex Wilkie- 3:45.19
Tim Cornish (NZL)- 3:45.40
Jacob Dumford (USA)- 3:46.45
Nick Guarino (USA)- 4:02.86 (mile)
Joshua Guarino (USA)- 4:03.41 (mile)

Men’s 3000 Metre Steeplechase – Worlds standard: 8:28.00

Ben Bruce (USA)- 8:19.10
Alex Genest- 8:19.33- Olympian
Travis Mahoney (USA)- 8:27.08
Chris Winter- 8:28.17
Rob Mullett (UK)- 8:31.62
James Nipperess (AUS)- 8:34.64
Carl Stones (USA)- 8:39.70
Mark Draper (UK)- 8:40.48
Chris Dulhanty- 8:40.97
Austin Bussing (USA)- 8:41.71
Jacob Smith- 8:44.01
Robby Nierman (USA)- 8:46.48
Ben Preisner- 8:53.14
Antoine Thibeault- 8:54.40
Gaerth Hadfield- 8:55.34

Men’s 5000 Metres – Worlds standard: 13:23.00

Jake Riley (USA)- 13:32.82
Luc Bruchet- 13:33.20
Ben Hubers- 13:35.97
Ross Proudfoot- 13:38.32
Zack Mayhew (USA)- 13:41.95
Geoff Martinson- 13:43.45
Brendan Gregg (USA)- 13:46.49
Hugo Beamish (NZL)- 13:47.34
Aaron Hendrikx- 13:51.41
Andrew Nixon- 13:55.80
Mo Hrezi (USA)- 13:59.26
Barry Britt- 14:01.38
Cliff Childs- 14:03.59
Carlos Jamieson (USA)- 14:08.54
Theo Hunt- 14:28.35
Taylor Forbes- 14:28.35
Andrew Yorke- 14:34.57
Blair Morgan- 14:35.11
Kevin Tree- 14:40.80
Connor Black- 14:46.76
Austen Forbes- 14:50.15
Brayden Seneca- 14:52.67

Men’s 110 Hurdles – Worlds standard 13.47

Greggmar Swift (BAR)- 13.35- Olympian
Yohan Portilla (CUB)- 13.41
Vincent Wyatt (USA)- 13.60
Ramon Sosa (DOM)- 13.76
Ingvar Moseley- 13.83
Reggie Rucker (USA)- 13.90
Niklas Rippon (GER)- 14.15
Izzy Ogieva- 14.55

Men’s Long Jump – Worlds standard: 8.10m

Fabriece Lapierre (AUS)- 8.40- Olympian
Ron Taylor (USA)- 8.19
Clayton Latham (VIN)- 8.16
Norris Frederick (USA)- 8.10
George Fields (USA)- 7.92
Tyrone Harris (USA)- 7.92
Taylor Stewart- 7.87
Jharyl Bowry- 7.83
Leon Hunt (ISV)- 7.78
Kadeem Douglas- 7.74
Ben Warnock- 7.62
Alfredo Smith (BAH)- 7.60
Jorg Ahne (GER)- 7.57
Robbie Gallagher- 7.53

International Program Events
Women’s 200, 800, 1500, 5000, 100 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles, High Jump
Men’s 200, 800, 1500, Steeple, 5000, 110 Hurdles, Long Jump

Athletes interested in the International program should contact Chris Moulton.

The official hotel of the 2015 Speed River New Balance Inferno is the Holiday Inn Guelph.