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TOP CANADIANS IN EACH EVENT

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
GARY REED

GARY REED


Top Canadian Performers 2009 Outdoor Season- Men as of June 28 100m

10.23 (2.0)  Seyi Smith’87 1132   points*B

200m     20.45 (0.4) Gavin Smellie’86 ON 1160 points*A

400m     45.85  Tyler Christopher’83 AB 1127 points*B

800m    1:45.95 Gary Reed’81 BC 1143 points *B

1500m  3:37.03 Nate Brannen’82 ON 1147 points*B

Mile     3:52.63 Nate Brannen’82 ON 1167 points

3000m  8:24.98 Mark Davidson’85 ON 914 points

5000m 13:30.27 Kurt Benninger’85 ON 1101 points

10k      27:50.76 Simon Bairu’83 SK 1146 points*B

110mH 13.67 (1.5) Karl Jennings’79 ON 1126 points

400mH  50.32 Adam Kunkel’81 AB 1109 points

3kSC    8:27.09 Rob Watson’83 ON 1139 points*B

4×100m 38.85 Canada (Palmer-Henry-Connaughton-Barnett) 1166 points *A

Half M 1H03.10  Simon Bairu’83 SK  1123 points

Mara    2H16.14 Andrew Smith’79 ON  1109 points*A

Mara    2H12.27 Jon Brown’71 BC 1165 points (Dec’08)*A

5k W    20:09.96 Inaki Gomez’88 BC 1065 points

10kW   41:55.0 Evan Dunfee’90 BC 1063 points

20kW   1H28:39 Inaki Gomez’88 BC 1031points

PV         5.50 Jason Wurster’84 ON 1110 points

HJ         2.25 Mike Mason 1108 points

LJ         8.05 Brian Chibudu ’88 CAN 1136 points

TJ         15.14 (0.9) Jacob Zorzella ON 955 points

SP         20.92  Dylan Armstrong’81 1175 points*A

Disc      62.88 Jason Tunks’75 ON 1104 points*B

Jav        75.26 Curtis Moss’87 BC 1008 points

Ham      74.09 James Steacy’84 AB 1085 points

Deca     7474 Jamie Adjetey-Nelson’84 ON 1030 points

MALINDI ELMORE

MALINDI ELMORE

Top Canadian Performers 2009 Outdoor Season- Women as of June 28

100m    11.56 (0.5) Toyin Olupona’83 1100 points

200m    23.22 (1.9) Adrienne Power’81 NS 1136  points

400m    52.20 Carline Muir’87 AB 1127 points

800m    2:03.64 Rebecca Johnstone’83 BC 1089 points

1500m  4:06.94 Malindi Elmore AB 1150 points*A

Mile     4:30.70 Malindi Elmore AB 1114 points

3000m 9:23.42 Anita Campbell   BC   844 points

5000m 15:42.81 Nicole Edwards’86 MAN 1086 points

10k     33:23.22 Danette Doetzel’86  1068 points

100mH 12.52 (1.4) Pricilla Lopes-Schliep’82 ON 1214 points*A

400mH 59.86 Laura Affeld’92 AB 1026 points

3kSC  10:05.36 Lydia Willemse’86 ON 1082 points

4×400m 3:30.85 Canada (Akinsulie, Power, Martin, Muir) 1131 points*A

Half M 1H12.08.6 Tara Quinn Smith’79  ON 1105 points

Mara     2H30.43 Lloudmila Kortchaquina’71 ON 1125 points *A

3kW     13:30.09 Megan Huzzey’85 BC 1042 points

10kW    56.09.0  Heather Warwick  BC  835 points

20kW  1H39.49 Rachelle Lavallee’86 Que 1028 points

PV       4.40 Kelsie Hendry ‘82 SK 1052 points *B

HJ       1.88 Nicole Forrester’76 ON 1063 points

LJ        6.74 (1.1) Ruky Abdulai “82 BC 1147 points *A

TJ        13.17 (-0.3) Tabia Charles’85 ON 1010 points

SP       15.81 Julie Labonte’90 QUE 917 points

Disc    53.15 Marie-Josee LeJour-McDonagh’79 QUE 933 points

Jav      55.85 Liz Gleadle’88 BC 985 points

Ham   72.07 Sultanna Frizell’84 ON 1127 points *A

Hept   6086  Brianne Theisen’88 SK 1113 points *B

Based on IAAF point scoring table Olympic/WC standard *A, *B  average 1133 points range (1168 to 1002) This information is not affiliated or endorsed by Athletics Canada

Corrections:    Contact   dclement007@mac.com

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GARY REED by Chris Kelsall (Flotrack)

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Gary Reed

Christopher Kelsall
June 26, 2009

(C) Copyright – 2009 – Christopher Kelsall

Gary Reed is one of the fastest 800m runners in the world. Currently he possesses a personal best of 1:43.68, which happens to be the Canadian record and a time that is considered fast by anyone’s measure. He also owns a 4th place performance he achieved at the 2008 Olympics from Beijing, China and a silver medal from the 2007 IAAF World Track and Field Championships that took place in Osaka, Japan. The world record by his hero Danish (by way of Kenya) runner, Wilson Kipketer still stands at 1:41.11 from August 24th 1997.

I remember watching Reed racing in the Worlds; I was emotionally moved to a standing position to the front of the television. I found myself yelling at the TV, cheering for Gary to hang on. It was an exciting moment in Canadian track and field lore. His efforts resulted in a silver medal at an event, which is on par with any other international track and field race, including the Olympics. He was just nipped at the line by Kenyan, Alfred Yego, in what must have been a most Herculean of efforts.

Gary Reed’s performance revitalized hope in the waning Canadian track and field scene. Reed continues to carry that torch even though the greater Canadian running landscape has improved since. The next big performance for Mr. Reed is the 2009 IAAF World Track and Field Championships taking place Berlin, Germany; no pressure Gary!

The few times I have had the opportunity to speak with Gary he has been nothing short of friendly, unassuming and honest. During my first ever video interview, which I hope never sees the light of day, Gary displayed a high level of diplomacy during my amateur shenanigans, to that: here is my written interview with Canada’s brightest track star, Mr. Gary Reed.

CK: Recently when we talked at the Track Classic in Victoria, British Columbia the day before your under-distance 400m race, you said that you are going to “go hard, then crawl off the track”, which is a solid character statement in itself.

In 2008 you ran the 800m in Victoria and then 800m at the Harry Jerome Track Classic, the results were both about a half a second faster than this year’s 800m race that you ran at Harry Jerome. How is your fitness compared to last year?

GR: My fitness is the best it’s ever been. This year of training has been great. I think sometimes it’s important not to get caught up in any one time. I try and focus on racing and just let the time come…

CK: Were you surprised by your 400m last week? Beforehand you said that “I am in over my head” but you finished in a tight cluster for 3rd?

GR: Well I mean over my head is not always a bad thing, I mean I honestly thought that race would be a lot faster, but it wasn’t. I haven’t run one in a few years, so it was a nice change and stimulus.

Results

1 Barrett, Dewayne           Jamaica                         47.17
2 Byron, Justin                 Virgin Island                   47.45
3 Reed, Gary                   Canada                          47.53
4 Ikwakor, AK                  Nigeria                           48.27
5 Findlay, Adrian              Jamaica                          48.77
6 Barton, Jason               United States                   50.28

CK: You said your winter training adds up to about 70 miles-per-week. Can you describe a typical off-season week?

GR: My coach (Wynn Gmitroski) is a master of change, so nothing is really typical; it is always changing.

However, long runs are Sundays and that is pretty stapled. We have at least one hard tempo session off track that most of the time in the fall comes on Thursdays.

Editor’s note: Although Wynn is a master of change here is a sample week taken from an Athletics Canada interview from 2007:

-Running sessions – 2 times a day (hard session in the morning, recovering session at night).
-Strength training 2 – 3 times-per-week
-Flexibility session (yoga) 1 – 2 times per week
-Massage 2 – 3 times-per-week
-Physiotherapy 1 – 2 times-per-week

CK: You mentioned that you are looking at running in the 1:42 range. Is achieving this ‘academic’, in that you probably could have already done it if the circumstances presented themselves on the right day.

GR: I think running 1:42 is all about timing. Usually the period in the season, going into a Major is when you will usually see guys running 1:42s, then again that’s a special time and it takes a special athlete to run that so all the stars have to be in line for that to happen.

CK: Switching gears, what’s on your iPod right now?

GR: I have over 70k of songs so literally everything. Now if I am really hurting on a run I look forward to a dance song to come on and pick me up something by Tiesto will usually do it.

CK: Do you still have freezing cold showers before your races? And more importantly, why?

GR: Yes I do and it’s mainly to wake my body up for what is coming.

CK: You said in your epic, Star.com 2008 interview with Randy Starkman, that when you first arrived in Victoria, you had one chair and that was it. “No risks, no rewards, right”?

Hopefully, you now have more than one chair, but as for no risks, no rewards go, does that risk-taking attitude come out in your racing? I assume you lean more to the side of tactical when racing.

GR: Well I mean risk does not involve making bad decisions in my world. I still try and push out of my comfort zone because that’s where I have had the most success in my career. With racing it’s no different for me, I try and make the smartest possible decisions the difference is I usually only have .1 of a second to make those decisions.

CK: Again from the same interview: “It’s like turning a valve on and lighting a fire for a minute and 44-something seconds and then turning the valve off. … You can’t let it all out until you hear the gun.”

So are you in a constant state of carrying on about your business in forced control, keeping a handle on that emotion. Does the emotion come out in other ways, outside of running?

GR: I don’t think so. Running seems to really bring this out in me like nothing else I think that’s why I love it so much. Away from the track I am not super competitive, but I am focused on goals in my life.

CK: Wilson Kipketer said pretty much the same thing, during his post-retirement interview with Chris Turner of the IAAF – Is this what you are referring to:

Chris Turner: What will you miss about not being on the circuit?

Wilson Kipketer: What I will miss is the way I felt when running 800m, the way I felt when controlling the race, the feeling of leading a race, the atmosphere…this is what I am going to miss.

CT: What would you like your legacy to the sport be?

WK: I want this inner feeling to be known by the younger athletes, so they understand what that love of running is all about, I want to pass on my love and feeling for running.

GR: I would want people to look back on my career and realize no matter where you are born where you live and no matter what your circumstances they can become a world class athlete or anything they want in life.  I want to be an example for all the underdogs in this world and people who are scared to take the road less travelled that if you make good decisions and stay focused good things will happen.

CK: Coe talked of the passion:

Sebastion Coe: “You have to have the vision, too. Vision is a romantic thing. We have got into ‘talent identification’. I am much more interested in passion – finding people who are really excited about doing something.”

CK: Training requires long-term vision. On a day to day basis, especially in the off-season, how does passion manifest itself?

GR: “Vision…”

Vision in a way is more important than anything in sport. You have to be able to lay in bed at night and see it and almost feel it.  You should be able to paint a clear picture in your head about where you are going and what you want to achieve or in my opinion it will be very hard to get there.

CK: In your description of winning Silver at the World Track and Field championships, you said it was a feeling you never had before and that you didn’t know whether you should laugh or cry and that you didn’t know how to express whatever the feeling was you were experience in that moment.

Is that what drives you now, being in touch with or chasing that feeling?

GR: Yes after having a global medal as a goal for my whole life, it was very surreal to have achieved that feeling. That level of satisfaction was life changing for me and only made me want more.

Photo: By CK – 2008 Victoria Track Classic – The Staredown.

ZazuCoffee


Chris is a member of the Lydiard Foundation

Contact: chriskelsall@flocasts.org

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Vancouver’s Reid Gustavson wins decathlon

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

Reid Gustafson

Reid Gustafson

Felicien, Lopes-Schliep win heats at track nationals

Vancouver’s Reid Gustavson wins decathlon

Last Updated: Friday, June 26, 2009 | 9:33 PM ET Comments0Recommend4

By Paul Gains, CBC Sports
Canada's Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, left, and Perdita Felicien race during the women's 100-metre hurdles during the Festival of Excellence in Toronto on Thursday, June 11, 2009. Canada’s Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, left, and Perdita Felicien race during the women’s 100-metre hurdles during the Festival of Excellence in Toronto on Thursday, June 11, 2009. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)If there is one track and field event in which Canadians have been consistently prominent at the international level it’s the women’s 100-metre hurdles.

All three of Canada’s veterans won their first round heats on day two of the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Toronto Friday, easily qualifying for Saturday’s final.

Olympic bronze medalist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep was first up, winning her race in a time of 13.15 seconds running into a strong headwind measuring 2.6 metres per second. Phylicia George of Project Athletics was a distant second in 14.01 seconds to snatch the other automatic qualifying place.

“It feels good,” Lopes-Schliep said afterward. “It was a pretty strong headwind. I am hoping tomorrow there will be a positive wind [at the final]. I am looking forward to seeing what’s in store tomorrow. Today is all about good technique, good form. I had a few floater hurdles, when I am in the air longer and don’t have that snap. I will fix that for tomorrow.”

Not ‘peer versus peer,’ says Felicien

The 2003 IAAF World Champion, Perdita Felicien, has lost three times this season to Lopes-Schliep: in Doha, where the latter recorded the world leading time of 12.52 seconds, at the Pre Classic in Eugene, Ore., and more recently at the Toronto Festival of Excellence. But Friday, Felicien looked very sharp, winning the second heat in a time of 12.89 seconds into a headwind of -2.2 m/s.

“We just wanted to come out and advance [to the final],” Felicien said. “It is important to make the world championship team. Obviously, the road to Berlin goes through Toronto. I am looking to win, obviously, but I am not looking at it as peer versus peer.”

Felicien, who missed the 2008 Beijing Olympics because of an injury, admitted feeling nervous coming into these Canadian championships.

“Nerves means this is important to me, so definitely, I have nerves,” she said. “But I am a veteran, and I have been here a lot of times and keep telling myself ’sound mind; skilled body.’ This is like a Golden League meet. It’s a big calibre race. I can use this like an Oslo or Zurich, and rarely do I have that advantage.”

Two years ago, Felicien collected the IAAF World Championships silver medal in Osaka while Angela Whyte finished eighth in the final. The Edmonton native has suffered her share of injuries and after winning the third heat in 13.27 (wind -3.1m/s), has designs on clocking under 13 seconds in Saturday’s final.

“I am healthier,” she said. “Any time things continue to get more positive, that is all I can ask for. I want to be able to complete the race tomorrow and reinforce the good things that have been coming together again.”

Bertocchi pulls out of decathlon

After starting the second day of the decathlon with a lead of 146 points, the University of Toronto Track Club’s Massimo Bertocchi came out with a vengeance in the 110-metre hurdles, winning his heat in a time of 14.65 seconds into a headwind measuring -2.9 m/s.

His target of 8,000 points —- the 2009 IAAF World Championship qualifying standard — seemed well within reach. But nerves got the better of him on the next event, the discus throw.

Two of his three attempts were fouls, and on the third, he hit the uprights of the discus cage, and the discus landed a paltry 5.65 metres from the circle. That dropped him to third place behind Vancouver’s Reid Gustavson and Marcus Cunningham of the Capital City Track Club.

Bertocchi rebounded in the pole vault, recording 4.70 m worth 819 points against Gustavson’s best of 4.10 m. But though he had recaptured the lead, his back injury flared up, and he and coach Andy Higgins decided to bow out of the competition with two events remaining.

“It’s great to win, but I would rather compete healthy and be ready for the next meet and be able to do all the events 100 per cent rather than just 50 per cent,” he explained. “I was having trouble in the pole vault warm-up with the headwind, and my back was starting to act up. I basically stopped warming up and just waited for 4.70 m. Then at 5.00 m, I came right down on the bar and tweaked my back again.

“There may be still potential for world’s depending on what Athletics Canada says. And then there are two decathlons at the end of August: Talence [France] or the Francophone Games. I am going to see if AC will give me a chance to go to Berlin.”

Gustavson took the gold medal with a combined score of 7,146 points while Cunningham earned silver with 6,896 points.

Christopher wins 400 m heat

“It feels really nice,” said Gustavson. “It’s a huge surprise, but that happens in the decathlon. Massimo has bigger fish to fry, but it was a cool experience.”

Tyler Christopher, the 2008 IAAF world indoor 400 m champion, won his heat in the 400 m but didn’t look particularly strong. His time was 47.64 seconds.

The man he left Chilliwack, B.C., to train with, Kevin Tyler, left their Edmonton base this year to take a position with U.K. Athletics. Christopher admits training without Tyler and with only his other coach, Derek Evely, has taken some getting used to.

“I did what I needed to qualify,” Christopher said, laughing. “It’s different. it’s more strength-based. It’s taking a bit to get used to. Derek is a great coach, I have been working with him for the last few years. There hasn’t been much of a difference except Kevin is gone.

“This is all strength based. I just need to learn how to race and when to turn it on for the home straight. I came from a really strong core with Ron Thompson, and with Kevin we worked mainly on technique and speed, and so we got away from that. As the years went on, I kind of lost my strength base. A more speed-based runner is kind of rare in the 400 m.

“The worlds are still a month away. I just need a few races against a good field and really figure out where to push it.”

The fastest qualifier was Daniel Harper, who won the second heat in 47.27.

Canada’s premier middle distance runner, Gary Reed, easily won his first round 800 m heat in 1:50.98 and is intent on making the medal podium at the world championships in Berlin. He was second at the 2007 world championships in Osaka.

“It felt great,” said Reed, who was also fourth at the Beijing Olympics. “I just wanted to get through the heats and be ready for the final tomorrow. Fitness is good, I definitely need some European races to bring me up a level and that’s coming up next week. I will try to peak for world’s.”

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Felicien, Lopes-Schliep continue hurdles rivalry at Canadian championships

Friday, June 26th, 2009

Felicien, Lopes-Schliep continue hurdles rivalry at Canadian championships

LORI EWING
June 25, 2009 4:36 p.m.
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TORONTO – For the first time in a long time, Perdita Felicien has butterflies heading into the Canadian track and field championships.

While the former world champion from Pickering, Ont., has captured seven Canadian titles, No. 8 is far from a given this time because suddenly Felicien has some serious competition.

Felicien, who’s making a comeback from a foot injury that kept her out of the Beijing Olympics, and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Whitby, Ont., who raced out of Felicien’s shadow to capture bronze in Beijing, will battle in the women’s 100-metre hurdles this weekend at the revamped Varsity Stadium in what promises to be one of the sport’s great rivalries.

“Usually when I come to nationals, no disrespect but it’s always a meet that’s hard for me to get pumped for, after you win four, five, six, seven (titles). . . it’s a little routine,” Felicien said at a news conference Thursday. “But this year it’s definitely going to be different and I’m excited about the competition.

“Also, the competition is like no other, I’m not just going to walk in there. . . it’s not necessarily the house that Perdita built anymore, I have to work really hard and try to pull off this win.”

Felicien holds the Canadian record of 12.46 seconds, set in 2004. Her quickest this season is 12.78, but her time has come down virtually every race out. Lopes-Schliep boasts the fastest time in the world this year – her personal best of 12.52 she ran in May.

Felicien, whose mom named her after a “Price is Right” contestant, and Lopes-Schliep, named after Elvis Presley’s wife, will both be strong medal hopes for the world championships in August in Berlin.

Alex Gardiner, the head coach of Athletics Canada, likens the Canadian rivalry to that of long-track speedskaters Susan Auch and Catriona Le May Doan in the late ’90s.

“They pushed each other continually to the podium on the Winter Olympic side,” Gardiner said.

Both hurdlers are expected to have huge cheering sections of family and friends at Varsity Stadium this weekend, and it’ll be tough to miss them. They’ll be clad in matching T-shirts. Lopes-Schliep said her’s will bear her name and a photo of her from the Olympics. Felicien won’t divulge the plans for her shirt.

“I’ll let the suspense kill you all,” she said, laughing.

Felicien arrived at Thursday’s news conference wearing a T-shirt that said “Training is the opposite of hoping,” a slogan she said perfectly matches her mindset since coming back from the stress fracture that kept her off the track for the entire outdoor season last year.

“For me, this is it, you can hope you do good, or you can go out on the track and be about it. That’s what I’ve been doing the last few months,” Felicien said.

“My appetite for competition is so voracious these days, I’ll race anybody at any time, anywhere, that’s been my mantra of late,” she added. “I just want to compete. If it’s raining, if it’s a tornado, I don’t care.”

Among Lopes-Schliep’s cheering section this weekend: Toronto FC midfielder Dwayne De Rosario. The two are cousins, their mothers are sisters.

Lopes-Schliep said the rivalry with Felicien is a good thing for both hurdlers.

“It’s going to be a little showdown,” said Lopes-Schliep. “These are the moments that make me as a hurdler a stronger person. You don’t back down from things, you live up to them, and that’s what makes you who you are.”

Both athletes say it’s important to keep the rivalry friendly – that is, as friendly as any rivalry can be.

“When I’m here, I can be peppy, I can be friendly, I can be cordial, I can have lunch with anybody. But when I get on the track, I really see red, I can’t stand anybody, that’s my personality, my competition is the enemy,” Felicien said. “But I want to keep it healthy and keep it civil because we’re Canadian and I think it’s a great thing for our sport, and if kids are watching us and we’re examples for them, we have to keep it positive.”

Added Lopes-Schliep: “Personally I don’t hate anybody, I just use it as a push, a drive to keep going, because for years I was the dark horse, nobody knew who I was or what I did.”

The Canadian track and field championships determine the team for the world championships. Other athletes to watch include Gary Reed of Kamloops, B.C., who finished fourth in the 800 metres at the Beijing Olympics, and Dylan Armstrong of Kamloops, B.C., who was fourth in the shot put in Beijing.

News from ©The Canadian Press, 2009

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Spikes Magazine coverage of Priscilla

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
Priscilla Lopes-Schliep celebrates after shock Beijin podium finish

Priscilla Lopes-Schliep: the underdog who overcame the odds

Olympic 100m hurdles bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep talks to spikesmag.com about how her medical condition and childhood bullying has not stopped her becoming an inspiration for millions of Canadians.

Cast your mind back to the Beijing Olympic Games and recall some of the most compelling post-race celebrations. Usain Bolt’s dancing and discus thrower Gerd Kanter’s 100m sprint of joy spring to mind.

But was there any more a heartwarming sight than when the silver and bronze medallists in the women’s 100m hurdles final – Australian Sally McLellan and Canada’s Priscilla Lopes-Schliep – embraced each other after they both snatched unexpected medals?

Lopes-Schliep was wreathed in smiles after winning her medal in Beijing. But to really understand her joy we need to delve deep into her past.

Born in Canada of Guyanese and Portuguese extraction Lopes-Schliep was born with the genetic condition Lipodystrophy, characterised by the loss of the subcutaneous fat that helps insulate the body, absorb trauma and acts as a reserve energy source.

The condition afflicts many members of her family and it can leave sufferers vulnerable to diabetes, high-cholesterol and even heart disease.

Another common physical effect is increased muscle mass, and for a shy, quiet girl at elementary school in Whitby, Ontario, this led to bullying from some pupils.

“When I was young I was picked on but it’s funny because the guys who made fun of me then are now saying, ‘how do you get your legs?’ That it is so cool,’” she says. “I was very self-conscious when I was young and I didn’t want to wear shorts.

“When I was at elementary school I would wonder why my legs were like that and nobody else’s were. I used to go home and ask my mum and dad if I could get my veins removed.

“Obviously they used to say no,” she says.

Lopes-Schliep recalls this period of her life as very stressful but the condition had a silver lining, which helped propel her life in a different direction. Because of the high muscle mass caused by Lipodystrophy, her powerful frame was perfectly suited to the demands of athletics.

She was encouraged to take up the sport and proved an instant hit – in grade nine she reached the final of the Canadian High School Championships and it was at this point she realised she had a very special gift.

“I knew I was blessed with a genetic gene and if I kept working I could use this to my advantage,” she explains.

There was a byproduct of the hard training, too. Doctors have since discovered that her fitness has helped stave off the worst symptoms of her medical condition. In short, athletics has helped her to manage the problem.

Her determination and talent has seen her develop as a leading Canadian international and her career under her longtime coach Anthony McCleary has taken an upward curve.

She failed to progress beyond the heats of the 2004 Athens Olympics but reached the semi-finals of the World Championships the following year. Then, last year, came her finest hour to date with a bronze in the Bird’s Nest Stadium.

As Canada’s only Olympic track and field medallist she enjoyed a huge amount of attention. It was a life-changing experience, and one she hopes can help motivate and inspire.

“I’ve made speeches in the past but now I’ve won a medal for Canada it is like people take my opinions more seriously,” she says. “And being the underdog for so many years has made me appreciate what I have today.”

Lopes-Schliep has since put her heart and soul into reaching out to the Canadian public to tell her inspirational story. She regularly speaks to schools, radio, TV and the print media, and has overcome her childhood fears.

“At High School I would be so terrified (to speak in public) I’d have butterflies and my hand would shake because I was so nervous,” she says. “But maybe my experiences have helped me grow and come out of my shell. I like to think I can relate to the crowd. They may think, ‘she was bullied but look at her now’.”

Such is her engaging speaking style that the demands have continued into the new year, although her early season form in 2009 suggests the distractions have not had a detrimental effect on her athletics – as witnessed by her world leading PB of 12.52 in Doha in May.

Although she hopes to have many more years on the track she also has half-an-eye on the future, and that could involve a full-time career as a motivational speaker.

“I would love to,” she tells spikesmag.com. “I think what we need is more motivational speakers in sport, particularly women.

“It is a gift I’ve been given that allows me to speak and to speak to kids, too.

“I see myself doing this after my sports career. If I could help to inspire more athletes or doctors that would be great,” she adds.

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BC adds 25% of Canada’s National team to FISU

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
Inaki Gomez

Inaki Gomez

British Columbia adds 25% of Canada’s National team to FISU with 2 Olympians named. Ruky Abdulai and Mike Mason who represented Canada at the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be joined by SFU and UBC athletes. From UBC will be Liz Gleadle, Inaki Gomez and Nathan Vadeboncoeur and from SFU will be Rebecca Johnstone, Julia Howard and Meridith McGregor.

Julia Howard and Rebecca Johnstone

Julia Howard and Rebecca Johnstone

Ruky (Long Jump 6.72m), Mike ( High Jump 2.25m), Liz ( 55.85m) and Rebecca (800m 2:03.34) are holding the number one spots in Canada in their event at this time.

Ruky Abdulai

Ruky Abdulai

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2009

Athletics Canada names 2009 Summer Universiade Team

OTTAWA – Athletics Canada announced today the team that will compete at the 25th Summer Universiade (FISU) taking place July 6-12 in Belgrade, Serbia. The games are scheduled at ‘Red Star’ Stadium which seats 55,000 spectators.

The team features five athletes who were on the 2008 Olympic Games team last summer. Ruky Abdulai of Coquitlam, BC, Richard Adu-Bobie of Ottawa, ON, Mike Mason of Nanoose Bay, BC, Carline Muir of Edmonton, AB and James Steacy of Lethbridge, AB were all 2008 Olympians and will be looked at to provide strong leadership on the FISU team.

“The World Universiade Games are an integral part of Athletics Canada’s quadrennial plan leading to the London Olympics”, comments FISU Head Coach Les Gramantik. “We have selected 29 athletes who will be facing a very competitive international field. This is a great opportunity for the selected athletes, all of whom have Olympic aspirations, to gain big game experience and learn to perform on demand.”

2009 Summer Universiade (FISU) Team

Name

Event

Hometown

Personal Coach

Ruky Abdulai*

Long Jump

Coquitlam, BC

Jerrold Jones

Jamie Adjetey-Nelson

Decathlon

Windsor, ON

Brett Lumley

Richard Adu-Bobie*

100m, 4×100m

Ottawa, ON

Glenroy Gilbert

Esther Akinsulie

400m, 4×400m

Ottawa, ON

Hugh Conlin

Alex Becker

10,000m

Guelph, ON

Steve Gulley / Albert Tschirhart

Lindsey Bergevin

High Jump

Leduc, AB

Rob Pike

Kyle Boorsma

1500m

Guelph, ON

Dave Scott-Thomas

Mark Dillon

High Jump

Bowmanville, ON

David Hay

Gabriella Duclos-Lasnier

Pole Vault

Quebec, QC

Sheldon Blockbuger

Sam Effah

200m, 4×100m

Calgary, AB

Brenda Van Tighem

Alex Genest

3000m SC

Sherbrooke, QC

Dave Scott-Thomas

Elizabeth Gleadle

Javelin Throw

Vancouver, BC

Laurier Primeau

Inaki Gomez

20km Racewalk

Vancouver, BC

Gerry Dragomir

Heather Hamilton

Pole Vault

Mississauga, ON

Arye Rosenoer

Daniel Harper

400m

Brampton, ON

Frank Bucca

Julia Howard

1500m

St. Johns, NL

Brit Townsend

Kimberly Hyacinthe

200m, 4×400m

Lachenaie, QC

Daniel St-Hilaire

Rebecca Johnstone

800m

Bowen Island, BC

Brit Townsend

Tim Konoval

1500m

Parry Sound, ON

Dave Scott-Thomas

Rachel Lavallée

20km Racewalk

Peterborough, ON

Tim Seaman

Mike Mason*

High Jump

Nanoose Bay, BC

Larry Blaschuk

Meredith McGregor

3000m SC

Surrey, BC

Brit Townsend

Carline Muir*

400m, 4×400m

Edmonton, AB

Derek Evely

Amonn Nelson

4×400m

Calgary, AB

Brenda Van Tighem

Gavin Smellie

200m, 4×100m

Etobicoke, ON

Erik Jenkins

Oluseyi Smith

100m, 4×100m

Ottawa, ON

Glenroy Gilbert

James Steacy*

Hammer Throw

Lethbridge, AB

Larry Steinke

Nathan Vadeboncoeur

400m

Winnipeg, MB

Independent

Jason Wurster

Pole Vault

Stevensville, ON

Arye Rosenoer

Team Staff

Name

Position

Hometown

Les Gramantik

Head Coach

Calgary, AB

Ingrid Ruys

Team Manager

Sherwood, AB

Richard Crevier

Event Coach

Sherbrooke, QC

Brett Lumley

Event Coach

Windsor, ON

Carla Nicholls

Event Coach

Regina, SK

David Scott-Thomas

Event Coach

Guelph, ON

Jim Wardle

Event Coach

Guelph, ON

Ghislaine Robert

Team Physician

Montreal, ON

Scott Simpson

Physiotherapist

Victoria, BC

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11 BC Athletes Selected to World Youth Championships

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

Travis Vugteveen, Chilliwack

Travis Vugteveen, 800m 1:53.14

Athletics Canada announced the National team which participate in the 2009 IAAF World Youth Championships to be held in Bressanone, Italy from July 8th to 12th.  Eleven athletes from British Columbia  were selected to represent Canada in this competition which is a prologue to next year’s Youth Olympic Games scheduled for Singapore. All these athlete were born in 1992 or 1993. BC athletes are marked in bold.  Valley Royals lead the way with 5 athletes selected.

Name                                         Event    Hometown        Personal Coach      Club
Aaron Brown                            100m    Toronto, ON    Bill Stephens         Phoenix    ON
Jared Heldman                  100m, LJ    Langley, BC    Ziggy Szelagowicz    Valley Royals    BC
Akeem Haynes                         200m    Calgary, AB    John Cannon    Calgary International    AB
Marlon Laidlaw-Allen            200m    Scarborough, ON    Bill Stephens    Phoenix    ON
Adam Gaudes                           400m    Fredericton, NB    Greg Allan    Fredericton Fast Tracks    NB
Benjamin Ayesu-Attah     400m    Coquitlam, BC    Tara Self    Coquitlam Cheetahs    BC
Travis Vugteveen                800m    Chilliwack, BC    Susan Northey    Valley Royals    BC
BJ Cunliffe                                 800m    Courtice, ON    Bill Cunliffe    Durham Dragons    ON
Eric Dillon                                 1500m    Oshawa, ON    Rob Grepe    Toronto Olympic Club    ON
Merid Seleshi                            1500m    Toronto, ON    Bill Stephens    Phoenix    ON
Evan Esselink                            3000m    Courtice, ON    Bill Cunliffe    Durham Dragons    ON
Stephen Hosier                         3000m    Lindsay, ON    Dale Lapham    Durham Dragons    ON
Christopher Dulhanty             2000m SC    Mississauga, ON    Jim van Buskirk    Mississauga Track Club    ON
Gareth Hadfield                       2000m SC    Calgary, AB    Christine Laverty    CALTAF    AB
Gregory MacNeill                     110mH    London, ON    Sandy Cooper-Ryder    London Legion    ON
Dyson Barnes                      400mH    Mission, BC    Ziggy Szelagowicz    Valley Royals    BC
Branden Hansen                      400mH    Beaumont, AB    John Bole    Leduc Track Club    AB
Branden Wilhelm                    High Jump    Woodstock, ON    Sandy Cooper-Ryder    London Legion    ON
Django Lovett                     High Jump    Langley, BC    Ziggy Szelagowicz    Valley Royals    BC
Jordan Young                          Discus    St. Thomas, ON    Jason Tunks    London Western    ON
Raymond Dykstra                  Javelin    Grimsby, ON    Kevin Knight    Niagara Regional Athletics    ON
Cody Parker                       Hammer    Langley, BC    Harold Williers    Valley Royals    BC

Django Lovett, High Jump 2.15m

Django Lovett, High Jump 2.15m

Name                                       Event    Hometown         Personal Coach    Club
Jonelle Bell-Spence              100m    Brampton, ON    Earl Letford    Flying Angels    ON
Leah Walkeden                     100m    Ardrossen, AB    David Pong    Edmonton Harriers    AB
Simone Martin                      200m    Brampton, ON    Frank Bucca    Brampton Track Club    ON
Shai-anne Davis              200m    Richmond, BC    Mike Murray    Kajaks T&F    BC
Katie Reid                          400m    Surrey, BC    Nick Stoffberg    Ocean Athletics    BC
Brittany Lewis                        400m    Sarnia, ON    Joel Skinner    Sarnia Athletics SW    ON
Annie LeBlanc                        800m    Repentigny, QC    José Sant    Lanaudiere Olympique    QC
Samantha Murphy                 800m    Perth, ON    Normand Seguin    Ottawa Lions    ON
Megan Beverley                     1500m    Toronto, ON    Dave Christiani    Toronto Olympic    ON
Caroline Pfister                     3000m    Sherbrooke, QC    Simon Croteau    Club d’Athlétisme    QC
Ashlea Maddex                     100mH    St.Pascal-Baylon,ON    Andrew Pagé    Ottawa Lions    ON
Chanice Chase                      100mH    Whitby, ON    Sharon Woermke    Durham Legions    ON
Laura Affeld                          400mH    Stony Plan, AB    Phil Booth    Edmonton Harriers    AB
Michelle Young                    400mH    Saskatoon, SK    Todd Johnston    Saskatoon T&F    SK
Alyxandria Treasure     High Jump    Prince George, BC    Tom Masich    Prince George T&F    BC
Rachel Machin                      High Jump    Calgary, AB    Duncon Margach/Gwen Ridout    U of Calgary    AB
Caroline Ehrhardt                 Triple Jump    Espanola, ON    Jim Taylor    Track North Athletic    ON
Chloe Hetherton                   Triple Jump    Prince Albert, SK    Joe Morrissey    STFC    SK
Karleigh Parker                     Pole Vault    Woodstock, ON    Kristian Wilson    London Legion    ON
Chelsea Whalen                    Shot Put    Liverpool, NS    Steve Wohlmuth    Launchers Athletics    NS
Joanna Franke-Kuhn   Hammer     Duncan, BC    Richard Collier    Kajaks    BC
Daina Levy                            Hammer     Mississauga, ON    Mike Judge    Athletics Manitoba    MB

Shai-anne Davis, 200m 24.25

Shai-anne Davis, 100m- 11.82, 200m 24.24

SUPPORT STAFF
Name                Position            Hometown
Hugh Conlin    Head Coach    Ottawa, ON
Markus Bill    Team Manager    Vancouver, BC
Frank Bucca    Event Coach    Toronto, ON
George Kerr    Event Coach    Hamilton, ON
Claude Berube    Event Coach    Winnipeg, MB
Elena Voloshin    Event Coach    Vancouver, BC
Georgette Reed    Event Coach    Edmonton, AB
Dr. Melina Thibodeau    Team Doctor    Victoria, BC
Jane Freure    Physiotherapist    London, ON
Frank Manzo    Massage Therapist    Toronto, ON

Alyx Treasure high jump 1.78m

Alyx Treasure high jump 1.78m

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2009 PacifiCanada Series a great success!

Friday, June 19th, 2009

Dylan Armstrong

Dylan Armstrong

The westcoast 4 meet PacifiCanada Series, concluded with this week with 10 meet records being smashed. At least one record was set in Victoria, Abbotsford, Richmond or Burnaby.  Details can be found at the website of each meet and in our record page. The leading record setter was Dylan Armstrong of Kamloops with his seasonal best throw of 20.92m just a fraction below his Canadian record of 21.04m.

Ruky Abdulai

Ruky Abdulai

Coquitalm’s Olympian, Ruky Abdulai broke the series and the Jerome record with her 6.60m jump only 14 centimetres behind her personal best set at the NY Grand Prix this year.  She may approach Tabia Charles’ Canadian record of 6.82m before this season is over.

Liz Gleadle photo by Ron Hole

Liz Gleadle photo by Ron Hole

Liz Gleadle of Vancouver established a new series record in Abbotsford with her toss of 55.19m.  This is very close to personal best of 55.85m set earlier this year.

Throughout the series a remarkable number of seasonal best and personal best performances were achieved.

PacifiCanada Series   Seasonal Bests        Personal Bests

Victoria                               21                                32

Richmond                           45                                29

Jerome                                36                                36

Abbotsford                         10                                  24

TOTAL                             112 —————————121

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OLYMPIC JUMPERS SOAR TO GOLD IN ABBOTSFORD

Friday, June 19th, 2009
Mike Mason

Mike Mason

Valley Royals high jumper Mike Mason showcased some impressive flexibility en route to the gold medal at Rotary Stadium on Tuesday evening.   Photo by John Van Putten
OLYMPIC JUMPERS SOAR TO GOLD IN ABBOTSFORD

By Dan Kinvig – Abbotsford News

The big-name stars didn’t shine their brightest during the Lafarge Abbotsford International Track Classic on Tuesday evening.

But while Canadian Olympians Mike Mason and Ruky Abdulai didn’t approach their personal bests, their efforts under the circumstances were more than enough for victory at the Valley Royals’ annual elite meet.

Mason won the men’s high jump by clearing 2.17 metres, a height that is well short of his personal best of 2.30m. But in light of the fact that he was participating in his third meet in six days while nursing a sore ankle and hamstring, Mason was actually quite pleased with his performance.

“I had a bit of a rough competition on Sunday (at the Harry Jerome Classic in Burnaby),” Mason explained. “I actually jumped 2.25, but it was a technical disaster. I did a lot of things wrong and kind of mangled up my ankle.

“So I decided I’d just work on technical things today. It was kind of like a practice, in the sense that I knew I wasn’t 100 per cent but I wanted to get some positive things out of it. I actually had some jumps I was happy with, which didn’t happen on Sunday.”

Mason, who finished tied for 19th in the high jump at last summer’s Beijing Olympics, is a Nanoose Bay product who has been training with the Abbotsford-based Royals since he was in Grade 9.

Last week, Mason had the opportunity to compete at the Festival of Excellence in Toronto. That meet drew plenty of media coverage due to the presence of Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt.

“I was actually right at the finish line (when Bolt ran the 100m), and it was pretty amazing,” Mason said. “You don’t often get a chance to see something like that in Canada. It was pouring rain, but the stands were filled and people were going nuts.”

As for Abdulai, she was coming off a huge performance at the Harry Jerome event – she set a new meet record (6.60m) in the women’s long jump and defeated Canadian record holder Tabia Charles in the process.

In cooler conditions on Tuesday evening at Rotary Stadium, and without Charles to challenge her, Abdulai’s best effort was 6.34m. But it was still enough for the gold medal, and the Valley Royals athlete was satisfied with her performance.

“This is another practice event for me before nationals next week,” she explained. “I’m pretty excited with 6.34.”

Abdulai was 26th overall in the long jump at the Beijing Olympics, and her current goal is to qualify for the World Championships in Berlin in August. She’s already exceeded the ‘A’ standard of 6.72m, but she needs to make the ‘B’ standard of 6.62m after June 24 to secure her spot.

The international athletes in the field also showed well. Joseph Keino of Kenya won the men’s 800m (1:50.95), while Mexican middle-distance runner Anayelli Navarro took first place in the women’s 1500m (4:26.29). Lerone Clarke of the United States won the men’s 100m in 10.35 seconds, while Kim Kuk-Young (silver, 100m) and Kang Suk-Young (bronze, 800m) will be bringing medals back home to South Korea.

The host Royals placed five athletes on the top of the podium. In addition to Mason and Abdulai, the Abby club got gold medal performances from Julia Howard (800m), Natasha Miller (high jump) and Emma Beckett (pole vault). Dyson Barnes made the world youth standard in the 400m hurdles, clocking a time of 54.71 seconds.

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Harry Jerome International On FloTrack

Monday, June 15th, 2009

flotrack

For up to minute coverage of the 2009 Harry Jerome International please click HERE.

Or go  to our results section and find links for races and interviews by event.  Use the link to the right of the Flotrack logo on each event or name of athlete.

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