T&F: Conference championships set for Saskatoon
February 21, 2020
EDMONTON - The University of Saskatchewan's athletes will have the benefit of home advantage when it hosts the 2020 Canada West Track and Field Championships at the Saskatoon Field House on Feb. 21 and 22.
Not that the Huskies necessarily need it.
After all, the U of S is the conference's all-time leader in both men's and women's track and field team titles with 17 and 20, respectively. Last season the Huskies became the first program to capture both the men's and women's titles in 15 years.
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So to suggest the Huskies enter competition as favourites is no great leap, although there will be many visiting jumpers with something to say about that, not to mention runners and throwers from out of town who intend on making their stay in Saskatoon a triumphant one, as student-athletes representing eight schools will be part of the two-day meet.
Feb. 21, will feature sessions at 2 pm. and 6:30 p.m. That is followed with a pair of sessions on Feb. 22 at 11:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
There have been multiple records broken at each of the last seven Canada West Track and Field Championships, including one year ago in Edmonton where Golden Bears runner Austin Cole set a new standard in the men's 300 metre race with a clocking of 33.44, Saskatchewan's Kieran Johnston posted an all-time best men's heptathlon score of 5,102.
Cole, who won three gold medals and was named outstanding male performer at the 2019 championships, is just one of many student-athletes that have returned to their teams and have opportunity to pursue defense of their titles.
Among them is last year's outstanding female award recipient, Lethbridge's Sandra Latrace, a gold medalist on both the track (60m race) and in the pit (long jump), as well as Canada West 2019 rookies of the year Joely Welburn of Regina and TWU's Kenny Blackman Jr., who will look to build upon their sensational debuts that saw them take first in the women's high jump and men's 60 metres, respectively.
Calgary, which finished second in the women's standings at the last conference championships, has winning experience on the track, retaining the majority of Dinos that teamed up capture the 4x100 and 4x400 women's relay titles in 2019. Last year's runners-up for men's teams, Manitoba, is led by fifth-year runner Simon Berube, who won four medals at the championships a year ago, including gold in the 1,000 metre. Though they missed the podium last year, the Victoria Vikes have seen promising results from their relay lineups recently.
Over the last several weeks, Canada West track and field teams have been competing at meets across the conference and beyond, building towards the annual championships. The excitement continues in March, when the University of Alberta set to host the 2020 U SPORTS Track and Field Championships, March 5 to 7 at the Butterdome in Edmonton. There, student-athletes from the OUA, AUS, and RSEQ conferences will join Canada West's top performers in pursuit of national glory.
Not that the Huskies necessarily need it.
After all, the U of S is the conference's all-time leader in both men's and women's track and field team titles with 17 and 20, respectively. Last season the Huskies became the first program to capture both the men's and women's titles in 15 years.
CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE
So to suggest the Huskies enter competition as favourites is no great leap, although there will be many visiting jumpers with something to say about that, not to mention runners and throwers from out of town who intend on making their stay in Saskatoon a triumphant one, as student-athletes representing eight schools will be part of the two-day meet.
Feb. 21, will feature sessions at 2 pm. and 6:30 p.m. That is followed with a pair of sessions on Feb. 22 at 11:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
There have been multiple records broken at each of the last seven Canada West Track and Field Championships, including one year ago in Edmonton where Golden Bears runner Austin Cole set a new standard in the men's 300 metre race with a clocking of 33.44, Saskatchewan's Kieran Johnston posted an all-time best men's heptathlon score of 5,102.
Cole, who won three gold medals and was named outstanding male performer at the 2019 championships, is just one of many student-athletes that have returned to their teams and have opportunity to pursue defense of their titles.
Among them is last year's outstanding female award recipient, Lethbridge's Sandra Latrace, a gold medalist on both the track (60m race) and in the pit (long jump), as well as Canada West 2019 rookies of the year Joely Welburn of Regina and TWU's Kenny Blackman Jr., who will look to build upon their sensational debuts that saw them take first in the women's high jump and men's 60 metres, respectively.
Calgary, which finished second in the women's standings at the last conference championships, has winning experience on the track, retaining the majority of Dinos that teamed up capture the 4x100 and 4x400 women's relay titles in 2019. Last year's runners-up for men's teams, Manitoba, is led by fifth-year runner Simon Berube, who won four medals at the championships a year ago, including gold in the 1,000 metre. Though they missed the podium last year, the Victoria Vikes have seen promising results from their relay lineups recently.
Over the last several weeks, Canada West track and field teams have been competing at meets across the conference and beyond, building towards the annual championships. The excitement continues in March, when the University of Alberta set to host the 2020 U SPORTS Track and Field Championships, March 5 to 7 at the Butterdome in Edmonton. There, student-athletes from the OUA, AUS, and RSEQ conferences will join Canada West's top performers in pursuit of national glory.