Brian Swane, Special to Canada West
EDMONTON – It may still be winter in Western Canada, but the action promises to heat up inside the Butterdome this weekend, when the University of Alberta hosts the 2019 Canada West Track and Field Championships on February 22-23.
Both days of the event will be streamed live on Canada West TV.
Athletes from across the conference are going for gold in a spectrum of events, and records are liable to be broken in the historic Universiade Pavilion, which was built for the 1983 Summer World University Games and has staged these championships several times over.
On the men’s side, the host Golden Bears look to defend their conference title from 2018, when they picked up their first Canada West banner in a dozen years, and seventh all-time. Four different teams have won the last four championships, a list that also includes Trinity Western (2017), Saskatchewan (2016) and Calgary (2015).
Among Alberta’s top medal threats are runner Austin Cole, who established the national record in the men’s 300-metre with a time of 33.37 at the 2018 U SPORTS Championships, and last year’s Canada West Rookie of the Year and reigning high-jump champion Wesley Calef.
On the women’s side, Saskatchewan will look to repeat as CW champs and win a record 20th conference title. In 2018, the Huskies topped the standings for the first time in six years, finishing ahead of the second-place Alberta Pandas, who were coming off back-to-back crowns in 2016 and 2017.
The Huskies are paced by runner Julianne Labach, who was named Canada West Outstanding Track Performer of the Year in 2018 when she medalled in both the 600- and 1000-metre at the U SPORTS Championships. The Pandas roster includes Catharina Kluyts, last year’s 300-metre champ and Rookie of the Year in Canada West.
The 2019 Canada West Track and Field season opened last month with the Huskies hosting the Sled Dog Open, followed by the Golden Bears Open at the Butterdome, and finally the Bisons Classic in Winnipeg at the beginning of February.
This marks the beginning of an exciting time for track and field in Canada West, with the University of Manitoba set to host the 2019 U SPORTS Track and Field Championships, March 7 to 9 at the James Day Fieldhouse in Winnipeg. Student-athletes that advance through the CW Championships will be joined by student-athletes from the OUA, AUS, and RSEQ conferences in pursuit of national glory.
TEAM PREVIEWS
2018 CW finish: 1st (men) ; 2nd (women)
2018 U SPORTS finish: 2nd (men) ; 8th (women)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2018 / 7 (men's) ; 2017 / 5 (women's)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: Men – 2001 (1) ; Women – 1985 (1)
Number of competitors: 50 total (24 men, 26 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
- Austin Cole – 300m
- Royden Radowitz – 1500m
- Royden Radowitz – 3000m
- Daniel Bubelenyi – 60m
- Men’s 4x200m Relay
- Men’s 4x400m Relay
- Wesley Calef – High Jump
- Spencer Allen – Pole Vault
Women:
- Catherine Kluyts – 300m
- Women’s 4x200m Relay
- Women’s 4x400m Relay
Key additions (name / event / eligibility / hometown)
Men:
- Chike Ani – 60m
- Scott Dixon – 300m
- Evan Essapa – 60m
- Tyson Keddie – Long Distance Runner
- Joel Runkel – 600m
Women:
- Charlot Butler – 60m
- Alex Forest – 60m
- Melia Martyniuk – 300m
- Simi Rai – 600m
- Tristan Sinnatamby – 300m
Key performer:
- Austin Cole
- 3rd-year
- Sherwood Park, Alta.
Coming off one of the most dominant seasons in program history, third-year sprinter Austin Cole returns looking to add more hardware to his collection.
In 2018, Cole earned three Canada West gold medals in the 300m, 4x200m and 4x400m relays, before being named the CW Most Outstanding performer. Cole then added three U SPORTS Gold Medals in the same races, and was named the U SPORTS Co-Athlete of the Meet. His 300m time of 33.37 also set a new U SPORTS Championship record.
Cole’s best time this season of 33.00 in the 300m race at the Golden Bear open in January is the best in Canada this season, and he enters the 2019 Conference Championship as the favourite to repeat.
2018 CW finish: 4th (men's), 5th (women's)
2018 U SPORTS finish: 17th (men's), 14th (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)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
- Alexander Gall – 60 Meter Hurdles
Women:
- Emily Saville – High Jump
Key additions:
Men:
- Chukwuma Igwe / 4x200 Meter Relay, 4x400 Meter Relay, 60m Hurdles
Women:
- Niki Oudenaarden / High Jump, Long Jump, Pentathlon, Shot Put,4x400 Meter Relay
Key performers:
Men:
- Russell Pennock
- 4th-year
- Calgary, Alta.
A two-time Canada West Athlete of the Year in cross country, Pennock now shifts his attention indoors where he will try to improve on his bronze medal performance in the 3000 meter run last year.
Women:
- Niki Oudenaarden
- 5th-year
- St. Albert, Alta.
Oudenaarden is back in Dinos colours this year after taking off last season to prepare for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. The last time she competed for Calgary, she was named the most outstanding performer in field events at the 2017 U SPORTS Track & Field Championships.
2018 CW finish: 7th (men’s); 8th (women’s)
2018 U SPORTS finish: 7th (men’s); 13th (women’s)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: none
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: none
Number of competitors: 28 total (16 men, 12 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
- Ben Ingvaldson - Weight throw & Shot put
Women:
- Sandra Latrace – Long Jump
Key additions:
Men:
- Robert Kennedy / Shot put
Women:
- Sophia Nowicki / 1500 & 3000
Key performers:
- Sandra Latrace
- 3rd-year
- Brooks, Alta
Two-time Canada West and U SPORTS long jump gold medalist Sandra Latrace is poised to have another strong season and will look to add to her medal haul. A season ago, Latrace reclaimed her long jump crown at the conference and national meet after missing the previous indoor season due to injury. Last year, she also added a 60 metre bronze medal.
Heading into this year’s Canada West Championships, Latrace will be the athlete to beat in the long jump once again, leading the season rankings with a furthest jump of 6.08 metres. She is also ranked second in the 60 metre sprint with a personal best time this season of 7.52 seconds.
Men:
- Ben Ingvaldson
- 4th-year
- Surrey, B.C.
Following in the strong tradition of University of Lethbridge Pronghorn throwers, Ben Ingvaldson stepped to the top of the conference a year ago, winning both the weight throw and shot put events en route to being named the Canada West Male Outstanding Performer – Field Events.
Entering his fourth career Canada West Championship, Ingvaldson sits ranked first in the conference in the shot put and third in the weight throw and has been trending toward setting new personal best throws.
2018 CW finish: 2nd (men’s); 3rd (women’s)
2018 U SPORTS finish: T-6th (men’s); 10th (women’s)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2009 / 10 (men’s); 1996 / 4 (women’s)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: 1997 / 7 (men’s); none (women’s)
Number of competitors: 49 total (27 men, 22 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Women:
- Brooke-Lynn Boyd - shot put
- Tegan Turner - 60m.
Key additions:
Men:
- Markus Rurangirwa – high jump, triple jump
- Matthew Exner – 600m
Women:
- Amy Klippenstein – 600m, relays
- Amber Schneider – relays
Key performer:
- Oyinko Akinola
- 4th-year
- Lagos, Nigeria
A triple threat jumper with a proven history of performing in championships, Akinola enters his fourth year as a defending U SPORTS silver medallist in the high jump. At the 2018 Canada West Track & Field Championships, hosted by Manitoba, Akinola took home three medals — silver in long jump, bronze in high jump, and silver in triple jump.
This season, Akinola is ranked fourth in the conference in the high jump (2.04m), first in the long jump (7.05m), and first in the triple jump (14.64m), setting him up for potentially a big performance at Alberta.
2018 CW finish: 8th (men’s); 7th (women’s)
2018 U SPORTS finish: 20th (men’s); 16th (women’s)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2014 / 3 (men’s); 1996 / none (women’s)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: none
Number of competitors: 45 total (23 men, 22 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
- Shane Patmore – long jump
Women:
- None
Key additions:
Men:
- Jonah Branning - 60, 300, relays
Women:
- Joely Welburn - high jump, long jump
Key performer:
- Greg Hetterley
- 4th-year
- Regina, Sask.
Greg Hetterley is enjoying a sensational fourth season with the Cougars as he comes into the Canada West meet ranked first in the conference in both the 1000-metre run and the 1500-metre run. He’s set the school record in both of those events this season, and two weekends ago finished first in the 1000 out of 98 entrants at a meet hosted by Boston University. Hetterley comes into the meet with two Canada West medals in his career, as he won gold in the 1000 back in 2016 and bronze last year.
2018 CW finish: 5th (men’s); 1st (women’s)
2018 U SPORTS finish: 13th (men’s); 5th (women’s)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2016 / 16 (men's); 2018 / 19 (women's)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: 2005 / 3 (men’s); 2005 / 6 (women’s)
Number of competitors: 40 total (13 men, 27 women)
Returning CW gold medalists
Men:
- Kieran Johnston – Heptathlon
Women:
- Julianne Labach – 1000m, 600m
- Katelyn Lehner – 60m H
- Leadan Chartier - Pentathlon
Key additions:
Men:
- Brennan Degenhardt - shot put
- Jake Neufeld - heptathlon
Women:
- Michelle Harrison - multi
- Nicole Ostertag - multi
Key performer:
- Julianne Labach
- 5th-year
- Saskatoon, SK
Returning for her fifth and final year of eligibility, middle distance runner Julie Labach is on course to once again rack up the accolades at both the conference and national level.
The law student is currently ranked first in the nation at both 600- and 1000-metres and is second over 1500-metres.
Labach enters the weekend as the reigning conference champion in the 600- and 1000-metre races and was also named both the Canada West Female Track Athlete of the Year as well as the Huskies Female Athlete of the Year in 2018.
2018 CW finish: 3rd (men’s); 4th (women’s)
2018 U SPORTS finish: 11th (men’s); 11th (women’s)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2017 / 1 (men's); 2015 / 2 (women's)
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: none
Number of competitors: 39 total (20 men, 19 women)
Returning CW gold medalists: none
Key additions:
Men:
- Kenny Blackman Jr. - 60m
- Praise Olatoke - 60m
Women:
- Christina Sevsek - 1500m, 3000m
- Julie Sevsek - 1500m, 3000m
Key performers:
Men:
- David Boyd
- 4th-year
- Victoria
After capturing a bronze medal at last year’s Canada West championships and finishing fourth at nationals, Boyd has continued to rise the vaulting ranks, entering this weekend ranked second in both the conference and the nation. His season’s best vault of 5.02m is both a personal record and Spartans record.
Women:
- Mowa Adeleye
- 3rd-year
- Calgary
Adeleye was a Canada West silver-medallist at last year’s championships and enters this year’s competitions as the top-ranked triple jumper in the conference. Her season’s best jump of 11.88m, which is also a personal best, is 35cm better than the next best result amongst Canada West athletes. Adeleye is also ranked fourth in U SPORTS.
2018 CW finish: 6th (men's); 6th (women's)
2018 U SPORTS finish: 9th (men's); 15th (women's)
Last CW championship / total CW championships: none
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: none
Number of competitors: 14 (11 Men, 3 Women)
Returning CW gold medalists: none
Key additions:
Men:
- Vaughn Taylor - 600m, 4x800m
Women:
- Caitlin Mann - 3000-m, 1500m
Key performers:
Men:
- Josh Kozelj
- 3rd-year
- Coquitlam, B.C.
Third-year Josh Kozelj recently won a gold medal in the 3000-metre event at the Bison Classic on Feb.2. Kozelj was named a Canada West Second Team All Star this past fall and finished in 29th overall at the cross-country U SPORTS national championships.
Women:
- Caitlin Mann
- 1st-year
- Melville, Sask
First-year Caitlin Mann will be the athlete to watch on the women’s side for the Vikes this weekend. The kinesiology student finished third in both the 1500-metre and 3000-metre events at the Bison Classic on Feb.2. Mann is currently ranked 5th in the 3000-metre event heading into this weekends championship meet. While racing in Saskatchewan during her high school career, Mann won a bronze medal in the 5000-metre race at junior nationals in 2018 and also won a silver medal in the 3000-metre event at the Saskatchewan provincial championships in the same year.