EDMONTON – Austin Cole broke a 35-year old Canada West Track and Field Championship record on Friday night at the Universiade Pavilion during Day 1 of the 2019 conference championships at the University of Alberta.

FULL RESULTS: HERE

Cole, a third-year Golden Bear, won his second consecutive Canada West gold in the 300m race, and in the process also bested the mark that was set by Canadian Olympian Cyprian Enweani at the 1985 Canada West championships. Enweani, an alumnus of the University of Saskatchewan, competed for Canada at the 1988 Summer Olympics, and previously held three conference records (60m, 200m & 300m).

“I had two goals in mind today, to prove to myself that I’m ready to compete at the national championship, and to break that record,” said Cole, who broke the U SPORTS 300m record last season. “I definitely felt the most focused I have been all year. Right away I knew I came out of the blocks hot, and then I made sure I stayed nice and tall through the corners. But when Karson Lehner was with me through the last corner, I knew I had to empty the tank and really push, because I wanted the win and I wanted to break that record. It really means a lot to set a goal like that, and accomplish it. It really sets up my confidence going into the national championship.”

It is the U SPORTS #8 ranked Saskatchewan Huskies, however, who narrowly lead the men’s standings after the opening day, with 52 points, followed closely by the Manitoba Bisons (49) and the Calgary Dinos (46). The Bisons, ranked #3 in the nation, are expected to pick up big points on Day 2, and challenge for the men’s banner.

The Huskies also lead the women’s table, as expected, as the #2 ranked team in U SPORTS accumulated 103 points on Day 1 to sit comfortably in first place. The Calgary Dinos, ranked #7 in Canada, hold down the silver medal spot with 72 points, while the host Alberta Pandas occupy third with 49 points, just six ahead of fourth place Trinity Western.

Other notable medalists on Day 1 included Calgary’s Niki Oudenaarden, who stood atop the podium two times after earning gold in women’s shot put and pentathlon, as well as a trio of double medalists from Saskatchewan in Courtney Hufsmith, who picked gold in the 3,000m run and silver in the 1,000m, Katelyn Lehner, who won silver in the women’s 60m hurdles and bronze in the long jump, and Kieran Johnston, who picked up gold in the 60m hurdles and silver in the men’s long jump.

Day 2 of the Canada West championship gets underway at 10:45 am MT at the Universiade Pavilion in Edmonton, and live on candawest.tv.

DAY 1 RESULTS

Women 300 Meter Dash Finals

1. Grace Conrad, TWU (39.38)
2. Ashlyn Mooney, Saskatchewan (39.48)
3. Natalie McDougall, Calgary (39.87) 

Women 1000 Meter Run

1. Julianne Labach, Saskatchewan (2:47.67)
2. Courtney Hufsmith, Saskatchewan (2:49.35)
3. Kaitlin Swartz, Alberta (2:54.81) 

Women 3000 Meter Run

1. Courtney Hufsmith, Saskatchewan (9:52.93)
2. Mirelle Martens, TWU (9:57.61)
3. Sophia Nowicki, Lethbridge (10:00.36) 

Women 60 Meter Hurdles

1. Michelle Harrison (8.36)
2. Katelyn Lehner, Saskatchewan (8.39)
3. Katelyn Slessor, Calgary (8.64)

Women 4x800 Meter Relay

1. Calgary (9:14.74)
2. Manitoba (9:16.84)
3. Alberta (9:29.41)

Women Pole Vault

1. Rachel Hyink, Alberta (4.00m)
2. Megan Lim, Alberta (3.90m)
2. Emily Blackner, Manitoba (3.80m)

Women Long Jump

1. Sandra Latrace, Lethbridge (6.13m)
2. Joely Welburn, Regina (5.79m)
3. Rachel Jerome, Trinity Western (5.78m)
3. Katelyn Lehner, Saskatchewan (5.78)

Women Shot Put

1. Niki Oudenaarden, Calgary (13.84m)
2. Osereme Omosun, Calgary (13.75m)
3. Dacia Gramlick, Alberta (13.12m) 

Women Indoor Pentathlon

1. Niki Oudenaarden, Calgary (4160)
2. Madison Lawrence (3701)
3. Nicole Ostertag, Saskatchewan (3661)

Men 300 Meter Dash

1. Austin Cole, Alberta (33.44) * NEW CANADA WEST RECORD
2. Karson Lehner, Saskatchewan (33.98)
3. Jonah Branning, Regina (35.06)

Men 1000 Meter Run

1. Simon Berube, Manitoba (2:27.47)
2. Gregory Hetterley, Regina (2:27.79)
3. Jared Welsh, Saskatchewan (2:27.98)

Men 3000 Meter Run

1. Russell Pennock, Calgary (8:25.28)
2. Caleb De Jong, TWU (8:29.63)
3. Ryan Grieco, Calgary (8:31.80) 

Men 60 Meter Hurdles

1. Kieran Johnston, Saskatchewan (8.25)
2. Scott Dixon, Alberta (8.60)
3. Chuma Igwe, Calgary (8.68)

Men 4x800 Meter Relay

1. Manitoba (7:43.59) 
2. TWU (7:44.83)
3. Regina (7:48.75) 

Men Long Jump

1. Oyinkansola Akinola, Manitoba (7.09m)
2. Kieran Johnston, Saskatchewan (7.00m)
3. Shane Patmore, Regina (6.99m) 

Men Weight Throw

1. Pedro Diaz, Calgary (17.69m)
2. Spencer Unrau, Lethbridge (16.45m)
3. Ben Ingvaldson, Lethbridge (16.31m)