August 5, 2020

ATHLETES SEEK RESULTS AS COVID PANDEMIC DOMINATES AND DAMPENS THE 2020 OUTDOOR SEASON IN CANADA

The outdoor season in Canada is proving to be a major challenge for track and field athletes in every way. First no Olympic Games nor Olympic Trials and as expected, the long tail of continuing uncertainty from the viral threat clouds the future. Most of Canada is in or approaching Phase 3 which may allow for local competition to occur in a limited way through the late summer and some Canadian athletes who base their trainIng in the US have already had the opportunity for a few small sanctioned events. The World Athletics Diamond League is adapting the presentation of a limited number of meets around the world. Monaco is scheduled for August 14th. Several Canadian athletes have in the frustation of absence of sanctioned opportunities, tackled the challenge of time trials within their training groups in very small numbers with appropriate social distancing and masking where possible. Clearly this is an effort to gauge their readiness for racing even though definitely not official.

First a list of sanctioned indoor, outdoor and road performances for this 2020 season for Women

Gabriela DeBuse Stafford with a new Canadian record in mile
Maite Bouchard is getting close to sub 2 minutes in 800m

Next a list of sanctioned indoor, outdoor and road performances for this 2020 season for Men

Mo Ahmed: North American and Canadian record in 5000m and 10th all-time world list
ADG opens fast with 9.97 for 100m

Now an incomplete attempt to list time trial and local sanctioned events for the 2020 summer outdoor season

Regan Yee time trials a 15:05 5000m
Lindsey Butterworth with an unofficial PB of 4:07.0 for 1500m
Natalie Hawthorn with 3 PB's -4:07.28 for 1500m-15:30.0 for 5000m-2:04.08 for 800m
John Gay wth 2 PB's-13:26.48 for 5000m and 3:59.28 in mile+ Natasha Wodak with PB in 3000m in 9:00.8
Marco Arop with solo opener of 1:47.70 for 800m