LANGLEY, BC – The final day of the 2023 Canadian Track and Field Championships wrapped up in style at Langley’s McLeod Athletic Park, with the last medals awarded in the remaining events. Headlined by the 200m sprint, Sunday saw resilience and perseverance from all competitors.
With Canada finalizing its selections for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, athletes were looking for big results to help them land a spot on the team.
Kieran Lumb takes 1500m gold over Charles Philibert-Thiboutot
While not quite an upset, former UBC Thunderbird Kieran Lumb took the lead in the 1500m from Charles Philibert-Thiboutot on the final lap and didn’t look back. Philibert-Thiboutot, who had secured himself an Olympic qualifying spot earlier in July with a result in the Diamond League, finished only seven-tenths behind the champion Lumb.
Lumb spent the 2021-22 season with the University of Washington Huskies as he pursued a master’s degree. His time of 3:37.24 was just 2 seconds off his season’s best. Philibert-Thiboutot was 6 seconds back of his season’s best time in this event.
The all-former U SPORTS podium was rounded out by CPT’s fellow Laval graduate Jean-Simon Desgagnés, who finished two seconds behind.
Gryphons show strongly in final day
The famed Guelph Gryphon track and field team put up strong results in Sunday’s events. In total, members and alumni racked up two golds and 4 podiums across all events.
4th year Jacqueline Madogo paced the women’s 200m field with a blistering 22.91, just sneaking past Wayne State’s Sade McCreath. Madogo was joined by Guelph compatriot Zoe Sherar on the podium who finished less than two-tenths behind McCreath with a 23.33.
Mason Basson would take bronze in the men’s U20 800m competition, trailing behind Regina Cougar Jonathan Podbielski who won the event.
On the field side of things, Mark Bujnowski took home gold in the men’s shot put. He sat comfortably in the lead from the start, tossing a 19.25m throw right off the bat. Bujnowski would take until his 6th and final throw to improve on that mark, putting up 19.60m as the best throw of these championships.
Stafford stars in women’s 1500m
It was Lucia Stafford’s show on Sunday as the former Toronto Varsity Blue took home her second consecutive 1500m national title. Biding her time in the first lap, it wasn’t long before Stafford made her move and took a secure lead over second-place Simone Plourde.
Having moved back to Toronto after spending time with the Nike Bowerman Track Club in Oregon, Stafford’s decision has been met with the results to back it up. She broke the North American women’s 1000m record back in February and looks to make noise at the World Championships. For more on Stafford, check out Ben Steiner’s piece here.
Having claimed the 3000m steeplechase title on Thursday, former TWU Spartan Reagan Yee joined Stafford on the podium, finishing with the bronze medal in this event.
Quick Hits
Alberta Golden Bear Justin Rose was the class of his field in the 400m hurdles event, finishing with a 51.38 to just beat out Windsor Lancer Ben Tilson’s 51.97. Waterloo Warrior Owen Babcock rounded out the podium.
Leah Jones of York University jumped to bronze in the women’s long jump. Carleton’s Maria Okwechime was sitting in provisional first place but had her distance invalidated before the event results became official. On the men’s side for the long jump, Calgary Dino Scott Joseph finished in second.
Manitoba Bison Madisson Lawrence claimed bronze in the women’s high jump. Andy White and Roan Allen of UBC finished first and third respectively in the men’s javelin. Windsor’s Nojah Parker leaped higher than anyone in the men’s pole vault while York’s Daniel Gleason finished in third.