Windsor & Guelph looking to repeat at OUA Track and Field Championships

BURLINGTON, Ont. – The top track and field student-athletes from across the province will invade the Toronto Track & Field Centre on the campus of York University Friday for the 2017 OUA Track and Field Championships.  Action begins on Friday at 10:00am with the men's weight throw and concludes Saturday at 3:15pm with the men's 4 x 400m finals. 

Limited tickets will be available for pre-sale, from Monday, February 6th to Thursday, February 23rd, online at www.yorkulions.ca/tickets.  Remaining tickets will be sold on-site.  If you can't make it to the event, fans can watch all the action streaming live this weekend on OUA.tv.

As the U SPORTS No. 1 ranked team in the country, the Guelph Gryphons' men's team is looking to reclaim their team title after being dethroned last year.  The Gryphons and rival Lancers have alternated ownership of the Guthrie Trophy over the past five seasons and if the pattern holds true the Gryphons could be on the top step of the podium on Saturday evening. 

For the Gryphs it begins with 60m specialist and defending OUA silver medalist Kyle Thompson (Port Hope, Ont.).  Thompson is the fastest man not only in the conference but also Canada after turning in a 6.79 time in the event earlier this season.

The OUA record in the 600m event could be in jeopardy when Gryphons standout Thomas Land (Normandale, Ont.) takes to the track on Saturday afternoon.  Land has the second fastest time in the country in this event, just 0.14 seconds off the conference record.

Shifting to the field events, the Gryphons have several medal favourites, including Sean Cate (Georgetown, Ont.), the defending OUA men's high jump champion.  Earlier this season Cate soared to a season-best jump of 2.14m, which is 0.10m higher than his next closest competitor this weekend.

Jared Skeath (Toronto, Ont.) is arguably the Gryphons best bet at heading back to Guelph with a couple medals around his neck.  Skeath is the defending OUA gold medalist in the weight throw and finished second overall in the shot put at last year's conference championship.

With several OUA all-stars and record holders on their team, don't expect the U SPORTS No. 2 ranked Windsor Lancers to go down without a fight.

In his fifth and final season, the Lancers are led by distance specialist Corey Bellemore (Windsor, Ont.).  Representing his hometown team, Bellemore is the OUA record holder in the 600m and the defending silver medalist.  The Windsor, Ont. native enters this weekend with the 10^th fastest time in the country and will be looking to make his way back to the top step in the final OUA championship of his decorated collegiate career.    

Pole vaulter Chris Waugh (London, Ont.) is another Lancer to keep an eye on this weekend.  Waugh enters the OUA championship as the defending silver medalist in the event; however, with the first place finisher not returning to defend his title, the time in now for the fifth-year senior.

Sticking with the field events, Lancers shot put specialist Eli Pawliw (Dundas, Ont.) is the defending OUA champion and will likely be going throw-for-throw with his rival Jared Skeath from Guelph on Friday.

The Western Mustangs race into the OUA championship as the third ranked team in the country as they chase their first OUA banner since 1998.

Known for their speed on the racetrack, several OUA records could be in jeopardy when the Mustangs approach the starting line.  After finishing third last year, second-year standout Ramzi Abdulahi (Toronto, Ont.) turned in the fastest time in the country earlier this year in the 300m and will have his eyes set on surpassing Rayshaun Franklin's OUA record from the 2016 championship.

Speaking of second-year speedsters, it would come as no surprise if Mustangs distance specialist Jack Sheffar left York with a couple gold medals to his name.  Sheffar, who finished third overall last fall at the OUA Cross Country Championship, will enter both the 1500m and 3000m distances this weekend.  Earlier this year he ran a 3:44.64 in the 1500m which is just .04 seconds off of the OUA record set by Bob McCormack of Queen's back in 1978.

For the No. 4 ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues, all eyes will be on fifth-year distance specialist Sacha Smart (Toronto, Ont.). 

Last year at the OUA championship, racing for his hometown Varsity Blues, the Toronto, Ont. native captured four medals – including three gold – on his way to being named the Hec Phillips Trophy winner as Overall Most Valuable Performer.  Smart returns this year to defend his gold medal in the 600m and 1000m event but with one of the deepest fields in recent memory it won't come easy.

Waterloo Warriors sprinter Mohamed Yassin (Waterloo, Ont.) has surely turned some heads this season and is a legitimate medal contender after finishing 14^th overall at last year's OUA championship.  Now in his fifth year, Yassin turned in the second fastest time in the country earlier this year and is one of the No. 8 ranked Warriors best bets at finishing on the podium.

The Warriors are also expecting big things from Joerg Ahne (Merseburg, Germany) in the long jump after he finished second at the 2016 OUA championship and had the second longest mark in the country earlier this year.   

For the host York Lions, triple jumper Nick Fyffe (Vancouver, Ont.) and pole vaulter Sam Adams (Glasgow, Scotland) are the team's top medal contenders.  Fyffe is the defending OUA champion in the event, while Adams finished fourth last year.

The OUA record in the 1000m could also be in jeopardy as earlier this year McMaster Marauders distance specialist Jeffrey Tweedle (Stoney Creek, Ont.) was just 0.71 seconds off Smart's 2016 gold medal winning time.

On the women's side, the U SPORTS No. 1 nationally ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues will head across town as they look to take back the OUA championship banner.  The Blues have captured the Waterloo Trophy as OUA champions seven times in program history and will look to make it eight this weekend.

With an Olympian in the ranks, you have to like the Blues chances as distance specialist Gabriela Stafford (Toronto, Ont.) will race in the 1500m.  As a member of Team Canada at the Rio Olympics, G. Stafford finished 9th in her heat and is the defending OUA record holder in both the 1000m and 1500m events.  While the Stafford name will likely remain in the record books after the weekend, that doesn't mean a changing of the guard isn't possible.

As a rookie this season, Lucia Stafford (Toronto, Ont.) has taken the conference (and country) by storm competing in her first season in the OUA.  L. Stafford, who was the runner up at the 2016 OUA Cross Country Championship, has the fastest times in the country this year in the 1000m and 1500m events. Earlier this season in the 1000m, L. Stafford turned in a time that would break her older sister's OUA record (2:42:84) which she established just a year ago.

After a seventh place finish in the 300m last year, Toronto's Katrina Innanen (Scarborough, Ont.) is the top qualifier in this weekend's race and the third fastest nationally in the event.

In the field events, keep an eye on high jumper Danielle Delage (Victoria, B.C.) and triple jump specialist Laura Amoi (Ottawa, Ont.).  Delage is the defending OUA gold medalist, while Amoi, who finished ninth last year, has added over a metre to her distance heading into Saturday's event.

Winners of the Waterloo Trophy in three of the past four years, the Guelph Gryphons will surely enter the championship with a chip on their shoulder as the No. 2 ranked team in the country.

For the Gryphons, it begins on the track with Katelyn Ayers (Orillia, Ont.), the reigning OUA silver medalist in the 1000m.  Ayers, who is also a former member of the Gryphons lacrosse team, has the third fastest time in the conference in the 1000m this year, clocking in at 2:45.81

Last year, Sarah Hammond (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) missed out on the podium but just one place but with the second fastest time in U SPORTS this year, the time is now.    

Equally as strong in the field as they are on the track, the Gryphons will look to Jordan Bates (Toronto, Ont.) and Ashley Connell (Brockville, Ont.) to turn in strong performances as Guelph chases their fifth OUA title in program history. 

Bates won silver in the triple just at last year's OUA championship but qualified this time around with a jump of 12.01m earlier this year.  Connell is the reigning bronze medalist in the weight throw but with the top two finishers not returning, the gold is well within her grasp.

The No. 3 ranked Western Mustangs will make the trip to Toronto this weekend looking to claim the OUA banner for the first time since 2003.

Sprinter Joy Spear Chief-Morris (Lethbridge, Alta.) spearheads the Mustangs gold medal pursuit.  Chief-Morris is the defending OUA champ in the 60m race and the fastest runner in the field on Friday.  Now in her fifth-year and competing in her final OUA championship, look for Chief-Morris to have a big weekend on the track.

Joining Chief-Morris at her last OUA championship is fifth-year senior and reigning OUA pole vault gold medalist Robin Bone (London, Ont.).  Earlier this year, Bone tied her OUA record (4.21m) which she established back in 2015 and with 0.10m separating herself and her closest competition, first place is once again hers for the taking.

While Windsor has hoisted the Waterloo Trophy more than any other team in OUA, the No. 7 ranked Lancers haven't captured the provincial championship since 2012

To say that Sarah Mitton (Brooklyn, NS) is the odds on favourite in the shot put would be about as big an understatement is saying her teammate Corey Bellemore is fast.  Mitton, who finished second in 2016, is the top returning competitor this year.  With 1.37m separating her and the second-place qualifier, you have to like her chances of earning gold this time around.

Despite being just outside of the U SPORTS Top 10 rankings, the uOttawa Gee-Gees have several medal contenders in their stables.

Defending 60mH gold medalist Devyani Biswal (Ottawa, Ont.) is back as is Charlotte Gardner (Ottawa, Ont.) who will race in the 600m on Saturday.  Gardner finished 15^th at last year's OUA championship, however, is a legitimate threat to challenge former Varsity Blue Sasha Gollish's OUA record (1:30.41).  Biswal recorded the fourth fastest time in the country this year as she looks to repeat as OUA champion.

On the women's side, Tegan Sauer (Kitchener, Ont.) is most likely the Waterloo Warriors best shot at finding the podium this weekend.  Sauer, who finished seventh in the 60m event last year, enters the OUA championship as the third fastest runner in province this season.

Queen's Gaels distance specialist Julie-Anne Staehli (Lucknow, Ont.) and York Lions long jumper Holly Pitters (Mississauga, Ont.) are two other student-athletes that have record breaking potential.  Staelhi, a five-time U SPORTS All-Canadian in Cross Country, will be chasing gold in the 3000m.  Pitters, who has a season-best jump of 6.15m, will be looking to break the OUA record (6.18) at home this weekend.

Other teams competing this weekend are: Brock Badgers, Lakehead Thunderwolves, Laurentian Voyageurs, and Laurier Golden Hawks.

Individual medal presentations and recognition of OUA All-Star achievements for all events will take place throughout the meet, while team trophies, banners and championship medals will be presented following the final event on Saturday.

Championship Schedule:

Friday, February 24th

TRACK EVENTS
12:00pm W 60mH Pentathlon
12:15pm M 60m Heptathlon
3:25pm National Anthem
3:30pm W 60mH Semis
3:45pm M 60mH Semis
4:10pm W 1000m
4:25pm M 1000m
4:45pm M 60mH Final
4:55pm W 60mH Final
5:05pm M 60m Heats
5:20pm W 60m Heats
5:40pm W 3000m
6:00pm M 3000m

Medal Presentations
(1000, 60mH, MWT, WPV)

7:00pm W 800m Pentathlon
7:10pm W 300m
7:25pm M 300m
7:40 pm W 300m Ambulatory Exhibition

Medal Presentations
(300m, WSP, W PENT, MLJ)

8:00pm W 4x800m
8:15pm M 4800m

FIELD EVENTS
10:00am M Weight Throw
12:40pm W HJ Pentathlon
1:00pm M LJ Heptathlon
2:00pm M SP Heptathlon
2:40pm W SP Pentathlon
3:30pm M HJ Heptathlon
W LJ Pentathlon
4:00pm W Pole Vault
4:30pm M Long Jump
5:15pm W Shot Put
6:30pm W Long Jump
M SP

Saturday, February 25th

TRACK EVENTS

10:00am M 60mH Heptathlon
11:30am National Anthem
11:35am W 60m Semis
11:45am M 60m Semis
12:00pm W 600m
12:20pm M 600m
12:40pm Ambulatory 60m FINAL
12:45pm W 60m Final
12:50pm M 60m Final

Medal Presentations
(4x8, 600m, 3000m, WLJ, MSP, WWT)

1:15pm W 4x200m
1:30pm M 4x200m
1:45pm M 1000m Heptathlon
1:55pm W 1500m
2:15pm M 1500m

Medal Presentations
(4x200m, 60m, 1500m, WHJ, MTJ)

3:00pm W 4x400m
3:15pm M 4x400m

FIELD EVENTS
9:00am W Weight Throw
11:00am M Pole Vault Heptathlon
11:35am M Triple Jump
W High Jump
1:30pm M Pole Vault
W Triple Jump
M High Jump