Chris Zuk, Bisons Sports

WINNIPEG – The University of Alberta leads in both team standings after the first day of the 2018 Canada West Track and Field Championships hosted by the University of Manitoba, while there was one conference record broken on Day 1. 

In the men’s standings, the Alberta Golden Bears sit in first with 38 points followed by Regina Cougars and Victoria Vikes tied for second with 20 points, while the Calgary Dinos are fourth at 19 points. The Manitoba Bisons are fifth with 18 points, the Saskatchewan Huskies in sixth with 17, while the defending champs Trinity Western Spartans sit seventh at 16 points and the Lethbridge Pronghorns are in eighth with 15 points.

On the women’s side, the defending CW champion Alberta Pandas lead with 48.5 points, just ahead of the Saskatchewan Huskies 48 points. The host Bisons stand in third with 36 and then Trinity Western follows in fourth at 33.5, Victoria fifth at 17, Calgary in sixth with 14, Regina seventh with 11 and Lethbridge is eighth with eight points. 

Saskatchewan came into the championships ranked first in women’s team standings and Huskies’ head coach Jason Reindl commented after day one results, “There was lots of positives out of today and we went higher in many events. I expect tomorrow to be a very big day as near the top in numerous events. It is what we expected today and ‘everybody did their job.’”

The best was saved for last on day one as Victoria set a new Championship meet record in the men’s 4x800m relay with a blazing time of 7:34.83 in the final track event on Friday. It bettered the old mark set in 2009 by Victoria (7:35.71). Manitoba was second in 7:35.72 and Alberta third (7:36.26). 

Victoria also won the women’s 4x800m relay in a time of 8:59.52 followed by Calgary (9:01.47) and Manitoba (9:08.34).

In the women’s pentathlon, Saskatchewan’s Leadan Chartier was first scoring 3,271 points while Manitoba’s Jessica Gundrum was second (3,205) and narrowly beat out third place Alberta’s Sophie Gelineau (3,204) after all five events completed. 

In the first medals handed out in day one, Shane Patmore of Regina made the most of his final jump for a gold in the men’s long jump with a leap of 7.17m. Oyinko Akinola for the host Bisons was second (7.07m) and Cyril Okoye of Alberta took the bronze (6.93m). 

In the women’s 1000m, a fast race had the Top 2 finishers make U SPORTS Nationals standard as Saskatchewan’s Julianne Labach was first in a close battle with a 2:43.73 finish – just .27 behind the CW record mark. Regan Yee was trying to defend her title in this event and was a just behind in second (2:44.71) and Chloe Hewitt was third for Victoria (2:51.10).

Yee then earned her second medal of the Championships and this one was gold in the women’s 3000m with a U SPORTS qualifying time of 9:22.70. Huskies’ Courtney Hufsmith earned silver (9:26.17) and Spartans’ Mirelle Martens captured bronze (10:05.13).

Another close race in the men’s 1000m as Victoria’s Tyler Smith won the title in 2:26.84 and two Regina Cougars battled to earn podium finishes. Alexander Eisweth (2:27.18) in second and Greg Hetterley (2:27.22) in third spot.

In the men’s weight throw, Ben Ingvaldson of Lethbridge continued the Pronghorns’ tradition of winning this event with a first toss of 16.61m. Calgary’s Liam Banks was second (16.27m) and Saskatchewan’s Cole Fry ended up third (16.10m). 

The Golden Bears swept the first two position in the men’s 3000m as Royden Radowits won in 8:21.99 and defend his title from last season’s CW Championships. Alberta’s Kieran McDonald was second (8:22.40) while Calgary’s Russell Pennock was third (8:23.27). 

In the evening session, Katelyn Lehner was a gold medallist with a U SPORTS standard time of 8:38 in the women’s 60m hurdles. Pandas swept second and third with Cassandra Grenke with silver (8:42) and Alexa Hrycun with the bronze (8.58). On the men’s side for the 60m hurdles, Dinos’ Alexander Gall defended his title with another gold in the event in a time of 8.36. Saskatchewan was second and third with Kieran Johnston silver (8.41) and Elliott Klassen bronze (8.63).

Kathryn Van Ryswyk jumped a U SPORTS standard with a 3.91 result for gold in the women’s pole vault. Teammate Rachel Hyink finished tied for second with TWU’s Madison Evans (3.81). 

In the 300m races, Catherine Kluyts finished first for the women’s event in a time of 39.31 while Bisons Tayo Babalola was second (39.83) and Erin White third (40.30). For the men, Alberta’s Austin Cole had a U SPORTS standard with a winning run of 33.74 then teammate Cam Snider was second (34.46) and Bisons’ Luc Deleau (34.56).

Manitoba earned their first gold medal of the Championships when Brooke-Lynn Boyd defended her title in the women’s shot put. She threw a U SPORTS standard 13.81 for the victory and Saskatchewan’s Olena Olenick followed with 13.13 and Alberta’s Dacia Gramlick in third. 

In the final track event of the day, Sandra Latrace earned a gold medal for Lethbridge with a jump of 5.87m in the women’s long jump. Huskies’ Lehner added another medal with a silver with a 5.81m leap and Trinity’s Rachel Jerome bronze medal jump of 5.57m.

Bison head coach Claude Berube commented on hosting and day one performances, “The meet is great as expected and the atmosphere has been electric. There has been some great performances from all teams and there will be more of the same exciting results on day two. 

The 2018 Canada West Track and Field Championship day two and final day starts at 11:30 a.m. CT on Saturday, February 24. The final events will be completed around 4:45 p.m. CT. All day there will be live webcast broadcast by pay-per-view at Canadawest.TV website.

DAY 1 RESULTS

Women 300 Meter Dash Finals

1. Catherine Kluyts, Alberta (39.31)

2. Tayo Babalola, Manitoba (39.83)

3. Erin White, Manitoba (40.30) 

Women 1000 Meter Run

1. Julianne Labach, Saskatchewan (2:43.73)

2. Regan Yee, Trinity Western (2:44.71)

3. Chloe Hewitt, Victoria (2:51.10) 

Women 3000 Meter Run

1. Regan Yee, Trinity Western (9:22.70)

2. Courtney Hufsmith, Saskatchewan (9:26.17)

3. Mirelle Martens, Trinity Western (10:05.13) 

Women 60 Meter Hurdles .84m

1. Katelyn Lehner, Saskatchewan (8.38)

2. Cassandra Grenke, Alberta (8.42)

3. Alexa Hrycun, Alberta (8.58)

Women 4x800 Meter Relay

1. Victoria (8:59.52)

2. Calgary (9:01.47)

3. Manitoba (9:08.34)

Women Pole Vault

1. Kathryn Van Ryswyk, Alberta (3.91m)

2. Rachel Hyink, Alberta (3.81m)

2. Madison Evans, Trinity Western (3.81m)

Women Long Jump

1. Sandra Latrace, Lethbridge (5.87m)

2. Katelyn Lehner, Saskatchewan (5.81m)

3. Rachel Jerome, Trinity Western (5.57m)

Women Shot Put 4 kg

1. Brooke-Lynn Boyd, Manitoba (13.81m)

2. Olena Olenick, Saskatchewan (13.13m)

3. Dacia Gramlick, Alberta (12.36m) 

Men 300 Meter Dash

1. Austin Cole, Alberta (33.74)

2. Cam Snider, Alberta (34.46)

3. Luc Deleau, Manitoba (34.56)

Men 1000 Meter Run

1. Tyler Smith, Victoria (2:26.84)

2. Alexander Eiswerth, Regina (2:27.18)

3. Greg Hetterley, Regina (2:27.22)

Men 3000 Meter Run

1. Royden Radowits, Alberta (8:21.99)

2. Kieran McDonald, Alberta (8:22.40)

3. Russell Pennock, Calgary (8:23.27) 

Men 60 Meter Hurdles 1.067m

1. Alexander Gall, Calgary (8.36)

2. Kieran Johnston, Saskatchewan (8.41)

3. Elliott Klassen, Saskatchewan (8.63)

Men 4x800 Meter Relay

1. Victoria (7:34.83) * Canada West Record

2. Manitoba (7:35.72)

3. Alberta (7:36.26) 

Men Long Jump

1. Shane Patmore, Regina (7.17m)

2. Oyinkansola Akinola, Manitoba (7.07m)

3. Cyril Okoye, Alberta (6.93m) 

Men Weight Throw 35 lb

1. Ben Ingvaldson, Lethbridge (16.61m)

2. Liam Banks, Calgary (16.27m)

3. Cole Fry, Saskatchewan (16.10m) 

Women Indoor Pentathlon

1. Leadan Chartier, Saskatchewan (3271)

2. Jessica Gundrum, Manitoba (3205)

3. Sophie Gelineau, Alberta (3204)