Canada West Communications
WINNIPEG – The 2018 Canada West Track and Field Championships touch down in the Manitoba capital this weekend, as the conference’s eight track and field programs compete over Friday and Saturday at the James Daly Fieldhouse on the campus of the University of Manitoba.
The host Bisons are welcoming the event for the first time since the 2014-15 season, after the last two CW championships were hosted by Saskatchewan and Regina respectively.
On the men’s side, the Trinity Western Spartans enter the weekend looking to defend their conference title from a year ago. TWU claimed their first CW track and field banner in 2017, as they became the third team in as many years to top the conference standings after Saskatchewan (2016) and Calgary (2015) won the previous two titles.
The Spartans enter the weekend outside the latest U SPORTS top 10 rankings, with the Alberta Golden Bears (No. 2) and host Manitoba Bisons (No. 7) the top Canada West teams, while Lethbridge (No. 8), Saskatchewan (No. 9), and Victoria (No. 10) are also ranked.
Alberta heads into the event with gold medal threats in several events after claiming gold last season, as the Bears have returning gold medalists in three events returning for more (3000m, 4x400m, pole vault).
On the women’s side, the Alberta Pandas travel to Winnipeg as the defending CW champions. Alberta is ranked No. 9 in the latest U SPORTS top 10 poll just behind No. 8 TWU, while the top CW team is the Saskatchewan Huskies at No. 4.
The Saskatoon squad doesn’t feature any returning gold medalists from last year’s CW championship, but does have several gold medal threats to watch for. Julianne Labach is one of those athletes, as the Huskie soccer player is a threat in both the 600m and 1000m after earning meet records in both at the Pandas Open a few weeks ago in Edmonton.
In terms of returning gold medalists from a season ago, the host Bisons sport a trio of podium toppers from the 2017 CW Championships.
Tegan Turner led the way for Manitoba last season with a conference record in the women’s 60m dash when she posted a time of 7.42. Brooke-Lynn Boyd is the other women’s gold medalist who is looking to defend her title for Manitoba, after claiming gold in shot put last season. Rounding out the golden Bisons who are back for more this season is Alhaji Mansaray, who claimed first in men’s high jump last season.
Both days of the CW Track and Field Championships will be available on Canada West TV – the official streaming home of the conference. Passes are now available for $9.99.
EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday, February 23
2:00 p.m. M Long Jump FINAL
2:00 p.m. W 60m Hurdles Pentathlon
2:10 p.m. W 60m Hurdles Heats
2:25 p.m. M 60m Hurdles Heats
2:40 p.m. M 60m Heptathlon
3:15 p.m. W 1000m TIMED FINALS
3:30 p.m. M 1000m TIMED FINALS
3:30 p.m. W High Jump Pentathlon
3:30 p.m. M Weight Throw FINAL
3:45 p.m. M Long Jump Heptathlon
3:50 p.m. W 300m Heats
4:10 p.m. M 300m Heats
4:30 p.m. W 3000m FINAL
4:45 p.m. M 3000m FINAL
4:45 p.m. W Shot Put Pentathlon
5:15 p.m. M Shot Put Heptathlon
6:00 p.m. W Long Jump Pentathlon
6:10 p.m. W 60m Hurdles FINAL
6:20 p.m. M 60m Hurdles FINAL
6:20 p.m. W Pole Vault FINAL
6:40 p.m. W 300m FINAL
6:45 p.m. M 300m FINAL
7:15 p.m. M High Jump Heptathlon
7:15 p.m. W Shot Put FINAL
7:15 p.m. W Long Jump FINAL
7:15 p.m. W 800m Pentathlon
7:50p.m. W 4 x 800m Relay FINAL
8:05p.m. M 4 x 800m Relay FINAL
Saturday, February 24
11:30 a.m. M 60m Hurdles Heptathlon
12:00 p.m. M Triple Jump FINAL
12:00 p.m. W 60m Heats
12:20 p.m. M 60m Heats
12:30 p.m. M Pole Vault Heptathlon
12:50 p.m. W 600m TIMED FINALS
1:10 p.m. M 600m TIMED FINALS
1:30 p.m. W 60m FINAL
1:35 p.m. M 60m FINAL
2:10 p.m. M 1000m Heptathlon
2:10 p.m. W High Jump FINAL
2:10 p.m. W Weight Throw FINAL
2:15 p.m. W Triple Jump FINAL
2:15 p.m. M Pole Vault FINAL
2:45 p.m. W 4 x 200m Relay FINAL
3:00 p.m. M 4 x 200m Relay FINAL
3:15 p.m. W 1500m TIMED FINALS
3:30 p.m. M Shot Put FINAL
3:30 p.m. M High Jump FINAL
3:35 p.m. M 1500m TIMED FINALS
4:20 p.m. W 4 x 400m Relay FINAL
4:30 p.m. M 4 x 400m Relay FINAL
TEAM PREVIEWS
Alberta Golden Bears & Pandas
2017 CW finish: 2nd (men's); 1st (women's)
2017 U SPORTS finish: 6th (men’s); 4th (women’s)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2006 / 6 (men’s); 2017/ 5 (women’s)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: 2001 / 1 (men’s); 1985/ 1 (women’s)
Number of competitors: 49 total (23 men, 26 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
Royden Radowits – 3000m
Daniel Bubelenyi, Austin Cole, Cam Snider, Jonathan Allen – 4x400m
Spencer Allen – Pole Vault
Women:
Ashley Whiteman, Cassandra Grenke, Grace Werner – 4x200m
Bailey Sallis – 4x800m
Key additions (name / event / eligibility / hometown)
Men:
Wesley Calef / High Jump / 2 / Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.
Eric Golberg / Shot Put / 1 / Edmonton, Alta.
Women:
Lauren Ellis / Pole Vault / 1 / Spruce Grove, Alta.
Quinn Gilmore / 60m / 1 / Sherwood Park, Alta.
Catherine Kluyts / 300m / 1 / St. Albert, Alta.
Key performer:
Spencer Allen
3rd-year
Pole vault
Kamloops, B.C.
Having already established himself as one of the best vaulters in Canada, third-year Golden Bear Spencer Allen will look to add more Canada West hardware in 2018. Over his first two seasons with the Bears, Allen is a two-time Canada West and U SPORTS medalist, and the reigning conference and national champion gold medal winner. In 2018, Allen has twice broken the Alberta program record, with his most recent jump of 5.27 meters the highest in Canada this season. Allen will be the best medal threat for the second-ranked Golden Bears in Manitoba
Calgary Dinos
2017 CW finish: 8th (men's); 2nd (women's)
2017 U SPORTS finish: 19th (men's); 5th (women's)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2015 / 4 (men's); 2013 / 11 (women's)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: 0 (men's); 2013 / 4 (women's)
Number of competitors: 47 total (24 men, 23 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
Alexander Gall – 60m Hurdles
Women:
Melissa Jones – 3000m
Key additions (name / event / eligibility / hometown)
Men:
Eric Lutz / 600m, 1000m, 4x400m, 4x800m / 1 / Red Deer, Alta.
Women:
Emily Saville / High Jump, Long Jump, Pentathlon / 1 / Victoria, Alta.
Key performers:
Men:
Colin Unruh
3rd-year
Rosemary, Alta.
With a strong season thus far, and a third-place finish at last year’s U SPORTS Championships, Unruh is hungry for another top finish at the conference and national levels.
Women:
Melissa Jones
3rd-year
Pembroke, Ont.
With a gold medal in the 3000m, and a silver in the 1500m at the conference championship last year, Jones is expected to finish in the top two for both runs again this year.
Lethbridge Pronghorns
2017 CW finish: 5th (men's); 8th (women's)
2017 U SPORTS finish: 7th (men's); / (women's)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: /
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: /
Number of competitors: 20 total (12 men, 8 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
Aaron Hernandez – Triple Jump
Women:
/
Key additions (name / event / eligibility / hometown)
Men:
Andreas Troschke / Weight throw/ 1 / Olds, Alta
Noel Vanderzee / High Jump / 1 / Lethbridge, Alta
Women:
Laura Klinck / Triple Jump/ 1 / Olds, Alta
Tanessa Morris / Throws / 1 / Patricia, Alta
Key performers:
Women:
Sandra Latrace
2nd-year
Brooks, Alta
After missing last indoor season due to injury, Sandra Latrace looks to regain the form that saw her win both the Canada West and U SPORTS long jump gold medal as a freshman. Entering the Canada West Championships, Latrace is ranked first in Canada West and second nationally.
This season, the Brooks, Alberta product has also added the 60 metre sprint to her program and currently sits with the second fastest time in Canada West this season.
Men:
Aaron Hernandez
5th-year
Coaldale, Alta.
In his final season as a Pronghorn, jumper Aaron Hernandez looks to complete his career with his fifth consecutive triple jump gold medal. A season ago, Hernandez had to switch his take off legs due to recurring injuries and still managed to win both the Canada West and U SPORTS gold in the triple jump.
Healthy this season, Hernandez is poised to repeat at both the Canada West and U SPORTS meets as he is currently ranked first in both.
Manitoba Bisons
2017 CW finish: 4th (men's); 5th (women's)
2017 U SPORTS finish: 14th (men's); T11th (women's)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2009 / 10 (men’s); 1996 / 4 (women’s)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: 1996 / 7 (men’s); / (women’s)
Number of competitors: 49 total (29 men, 20 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
/
Women:
Tegan Turner – 60m
Brooke-Lynn Boyd – shot put
Key additions (name / event / eligibility / hometown)
Men:
Tristan Allen / 600m, 4x400, 4x800m relay / 1 / St. Andrews, Man.
Luc Deleau / 300m, 4x200, 4x400m relay / 1 / Winnipeg, Man.
Shane Dillon / 600m, 4x400, 4x800m relay / 2 / Winnipeg, Man.
Marcel Dufault / 60m, 4x200m relay / 1 / Winnipeg, Man.
Joshua Magri / triple jump / 1 / Winnipeg, Man.
Nathan Smith / high jump / 1 / Winnipeg, Man.
Harjaspreet Poonia / triple and long jump / 1 / Winnipeg, Man.
Oyinko Akinola / triple, long and high jump / 3 / Lagos, Nigeria
Women:
Keara Andrew / shot put, weight throw / 1 / Teulon, Man.
Brianna Tynes / 60m, 4x200m relay / 1 / Winnipeg, Man.
Kirsten Hurdal / long jump / 1 / Lorette, Man.
Key performers:
Women:
Tegan Turner
4th-year
Winnipeg, Man.
Bison fourth-year women’s sprinter Tegan Turner returns to CW T&F Championships as the defending women’s 60m title holder and not only is looking to repeat, but trying and lower her championship record time of 7.42 set in 2017.
She is first in the conference this season with the fastest time of 7.48 and also is the anchor for the first place ranked women’s 4x200m relay team heading into the Championships. The Winnipeg native is poised for another big season meet at home.
Men:
Oyinko Akinola
3rd-year
Lagos, Nigeria
After a year absence from the track, Oyinko Akinola is back and ready to make a deep imprint at the 2018 Canada West Track and Field Championships as the Bisons host. The third-year athlete will be a triple threat for Manitoba, as he is currently ranked first in CW in long jump (7.15m), fourth in CW in triple jump (14.61m) and fourth in conference high jump (2.06m). In his second year in 2015-16, Akinola made the podium with a T-2nd in high jump and fifth in triple jump and is expected to compete and be in the mix for three podium finishes this season at the Championships.
Regina Cougars
2017 CW finish: 7th (men's); 6th (women's)
2017 U SPORTS finish: 17th (men's); T11th (women's)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2011 / 2 (men’s); / (women’s)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: /
Number of competitors: 43 total (24 men, 19 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
/
Women:
/
Key additions (name / event / eligibility / hometown)
Men:
Shane Patmore / long jump / 1 / Regina, Sask.
Women:
/
Key performer:
Reagan Fedak
2nd-year
Foam Lake, Sask.
Only in her second season of eligibility after redshirting last year, Reagan Fedak has had a sensational 2018. Fedak has broken the University of Regina’s weight throw record twice in the past month and will head into this weekend’s conference meet ranked No. 2 in Canada West thanks to her throw of 17.19 metres at the Lipsett Cartage Classic in Regina. Fedak, the only Cougar to have achieved a U SPORTS automatic qualifying standard this year, won a Canada West silver in the weight throw back in 2016.
Saskatchewan Huskies
2017 CW finish: 6th (men's); 3rd (women's)
2017 U SPORTS finish: 16th (men's); 9th (women's)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2016 / 16 (men’s); 2012 / 18 (women’s)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: 2005 / 5 (men's); 2005 / 7 (women's)
Number of competitors: 47 total (20 men, 27 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
4x200m relay
Women:
/
Key additions (name / event / eligibility / hometown)
Men:
*Kieran Johnston / Multi-event / 2 / Saskatoon, Sask.
Women:
*Olena Olenick / Shot Put & Weight Throw / 4 / Saskatoon, Sask.
Returning to competition after taking 2016-17 season off.
Key performer:
Women:
Julianne Labach
4th-year
Saskatoon, Sask.
Julianne Labach is poised to top her podium finishes at the Canada West Championships in previous years. The three-time conference bronze medalist has been tearing up the track after finishing her fourth season with the Huskie women’s soccer team. The dual-sport athlete has medaled in all three meets to this point in the season. Three golds in the 600m race, two in which she set a new meet records at the Golden Bear Open with a time of 1:30.19 and Pandas Open with a time of 1:30.90. Labach also added 1000m golds at the Huskie-hosted Sled Dog Open, which was a Huskie and Saskatchewan record, and Pandas Open in Edmonton.
Men:
The 2015 Huskie track rookie of the year is back with the team. Johnston has looked determined to medal at the conference championships for the first time in his U SPORTS career after a more than successful start to his season. Johnston earned bronze in the 60m dash at the Huskie-hosted Sled Dog Open before winning gold at the Golden Bear Open in the heptathlon with a meet and Huskie record score of 5133 points and still the top score in the country. Most recently, Johnston was part of a 4x200m relay that won gold at the Panda Open in Edmonton.
Trinity Western Spartans
2017 CW finish: 1st (men's); 4th (women's)
2017 U SPORTS finish: 12th (men's); 10th (women's)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2017 / 1 (men’s); 2015 / 2 (women’s)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: /
Number of competitors: 34 total (18 men, 16 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
/
Women:
Regan Yee – 1000m
Key additions (name / event / eligibility / hometown)
Men:
Giovanni Hernandez / Pole Vault / 3 / Tepic, Mexico
Women:
Grace Konrad / 300m & 600m / 1 / Edmonton, Alta.
Jouen Chang / 1500m & 3000m / 1 / Langley, B.C.
Key performer:
Regan Yee
5th-year
South Hazelton, B.C.
In her final year as a Spartan, Regan Yee will attempt the middle distance triple at the Canada West championships, as she goes for gold in the 1000m, 1500m and 3000m. The fifth-year Yee, who has earned five Canada West medals over her career, including gold in both the 1000m (2017) and the 1500 (2016), enters the competition ranked first in all three middle distance events. Over the past month, Yee has set Spartan records in the 1000m (2:42.99), the mile (4:33.43) and the 3000m (8:58.29). Her 1000m time is the eighth fastest in the world this year and her mile time has her 27th in the world rankings.
Victoria Vikes
2017 CW finish: 3rd (men's); 7th (women's)
2017 U SPORTS finish: 8th (men's); 16th (women's)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: /
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: /
Number of competitors: 24 total (16 men, 8 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
Thomas Oxland – 1000-metre, 4x800-metre relay
Max Serviss – 4x800-metre relay
Tyler Smith – 600-metre, 4x800-metre relay
Women:
/
Key additions (name / event / eligibility / hometown)
Men:
Brandon Vail – 1500, 3000 / 1 / Edmonton, Alta.
Women:
Georgia Ginther – 1500, 300 / 1 / Surrey, B.C.
Key performer:
Thomas Oxland
3rd-year
Nanaimo, B.C.
One of three returning Canada West gold medallists on the team, Thomas Oxland is poised to once again lead the Vikes at the conference championships. The third-year athlete is currently ranked second in all of U SPORTS in the 1000-metre race, a distance that he claimed gold in at last year’s Canada West Championships. The education major also figures to play a key role on the reigning Canada West Champion 4x800-metre relay team.