The World Athletics Championships are set to kick off this Saturday in Tokyo, which translates to Friday in Canadian time zones. Let’s take a look at the key Canadian athletes, including an exceptional four defending world champions, who will be showcasing their talents at the premier track and field event of the year.
**Camryn Rogers and Ethan Katzberg (hammer throw)**
Rogers made history in 2022 by becoming the first Canadian to secure a medal in the hammer throw at the world championships. She later upgraded from silver to gold alongside Katzberg, marking Canada’s inaugural world titles in the discipline. The duo continued their success in Paris last summer by clinching Canada’s first-ever Olympic golds in the event after a lengthy 112-year medal drought.
With an impressive track record this year, Rogers, 26, is a strong contender to defend her women’s world champion title, having emerged victorious in eight out of her nine international appearances, including a remarkable six consecutive wins. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Katzberg, after starting the year with five straight victories, faced two consecutive defeats against Olympic silver medalist Bence Halasz of Hungary in his recent international outings.
**Marco Arop (800m)**
Arop’s journey from a young athlete who faced disappointment at the 2021 Olympics to a polished contender who clinched bronze at the following year’s world championships and then triumphed in 2023 has been captivating to witness. The 6-foot-4 Canadian narrowly missed out on Olympic gold last summer, losing to his Kenyan rival Emmanuel Wanyonyi in a thrilling photo finish in Paris.
Wanyonyi, 21, is the favorite in Tokyo, having secured five wins in seven Diamond League races this year, including a hat-trick of victories in the season-ending Final. Arop, turning 27 this month, diversified his season by participating in the ill-fated Grand Slam Track tour earlier on, where he competed in both the 800m and 1,500m events. Despite a shift back to the Diamond League in June, Arop secured a fifth, second, and fifth place before claiming third in the Final.
**Damian Warner and Pierce LePage (decathlon)**
Expectations were high for Canada’s decathlon stars in the 2024 Olympics, with Warner clinching gold in 2021 and LePage securing the world title in 2023, while Warner settled for silver. However, their hopes for a repeat of their success were dashed in Paris due to a back injury sidelining LePage and Warner’s surprising foul-out in the pole vault event.
Concerns now loom over the duo’s future prospects, with Warner, 35, finishing sixth at this year’s prestigious Hypo Meeting in Austria after claiming victory eight times in the past. On the other hand, 29-year-old LePage, recovering from back surgery, faced a setback midway through the competition when a fall over a competitor’s hurdle forced him out of contention after an 11th place standing.
**Men’s 4x100m relay team**
Canada’s relay team comprising Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, and Brendon Rodney achieved a remarkable feat by clinching the 2022 world title in Eugene, Oregon, upsetting the formidable United States. Their success continued with a gold medal triumph at the Paris Olympics, where they outshone their competitors despite having the slowest qualifying time.
The U.S. team is expected to dominate once again after reclaiming the world title in 2023. Notably, Canada’s chances were hindered in Budapest due to the decision to rest De Grasse for the qualifying round, possibly costing them a spot in the final. With the team lacking top-ranked individual sprinters, they will need to exhibit exceptional teamwork to secure another victory.
In addition to these athletes, several other Canadians are poised to make their mark at the world championships, including shot putter Sarah Mitton, distance runner Moh Ahmed, race walker Evan Dunfee, and hurdler Savannah Sutherland. The event will be available for live streaming starting this Friday on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem until September 21.