Thirty Canadian track and field athletes have journeyed to The Bahamas to participate in the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) championships over the weekend. Among the Canadian squad are 17 Olympians and 19 athletes with world championship experience.
The competition serves as a preparation opportunity for some athletes ahead of the upcoming world championships, while for others, it presents a final chance to meet the automatic qualifying standard or enhance their world rankings for entry into the worlds.
The Canadian team kicked off the NACAC Championships strongly with Tatiana Aholou clinching a silver medal in the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.01 seconds.
Canada’s sprinters showcased their prowess, with Jerome Blake, a member of the Olympic men’s 4x100m gold-winning team in Paris, securing gold in the men’s 100m event with a personal best time of 9.95 seconds. Blake’s teammate, Aaron Brown, also stood out by winning gold in the men’s 200m with a time of 20.27 seconds.
Blake and De Grasse are the only Canadians to have met the men’s 100m world championship qualifying time of 10 seconds, while Blake and Brown have also achieved the 200m standard. The men’s 4×100 team qualified in May at the World Athletics Relays, where they secured a bronze medal.
Team Canada’s throwers made a notable impact, with Julia Tunks and Jillian Weir each claiming bronze medals in the discus and women’s hammer throw events, respectively.
The middle-distance athletes from Canada also excelled at the NACAC championships. Lucia Stafford secured bronze in the women’s 1500m, while Foster Malleck and Charles Philibert-Thiboutot clinched gold and silver in the men’s event.
Sarah Mitton, a standout from Nova Scotia, will aim to contribute to Canada’s medal tally in the women’s shot put event after her previous successes.