Turner claims gold at Canadian Championships
The future is certainly bright for the Calgary Dinos track & field program. A number of current and future Dinos competed at the 2023 Bell Canadian Track & Field Championships in Langley, B.C. at the end of July and performed incredibly on one of the sport's biggest stages.
CALGARY – The future is certainly bright for the Calgary Dinos track & field program.
A number of current and future Dinos competed at the 2023 Bell Canadian Track & Field Championships in Langley, B.C. at the end of July and performed incredibly on one of the sport's biggest stages.
Incoming rookie Chloe Turner grabbed early headlines at the national meet, setting a championship record in the U20 5000m run. The local product nearly lapped the field in the event, crossing the line in a record time of 16:31.74 – over 30 seconds ahead of the next finisher to bring home the gold medal.
A pair of newcomers claimed silver in Langley. Noel Vanderzee floated over the bar at 2.16m in the senior high jump competition. It marks the eighth top-two finish for the Lethbridge native this season. Meanwhile, fellow transfer Scott Joseph brought home a silver medal in senior long jump. The Canada West record holder in the event and 2020 CW Rookie of the Year jumped 7.46m on his final attempt to secure second place.
In the heptathlon, Sarah Feschuk brought home a bronze medal at the U20 level. The second-year Dino topped the field in the 800m (2:24.18) and was second in the 200m (26.26) and third in long jump (5.35m) to headline a final tally of 4343 points – good for third overall after the seven events. Meanwhile, newcomer Alyson Edwards placed eighth overall in the loaded senior heptathlon field. The two-time Canada West medallist in pentathlon excelled in javelin (36.60m) and shot put (11.42m) and finished with a two-day score of 4955 points for eighth place overall.
Second-year Georgia Oland also turned in a top-eight finish during the busy week in B.C. The Calgary native registered a personal best in the 400m prelims with a time of 57.98 before crossing the line in 58.12 in finals to claim sixth place overall.
In other international news, a pair of Dinos are off Puerto Rico this weekend for the U20 Pan American Games. Chloe Turner will compete in the 5000m, while Dinos alum and assistant coach James Holder has been selected to join the coaching staff for Team Canada.
Earlier this summer, Calgary head coach Jessica Zelinka was selected as the apprentice coach for Athletics Canada's national relay training camp in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dinos assistant coach Kristian Watson was selected as the throws coach for the Calgary area team for the Alberta Summer Games in July, while assistant coach Jane Kolodnicki was selected as a coach at the World Para Athletics Championships earlier this summer.
Still coming up, assistant coach Les Gramantik will be on hand at this year's World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Gramantik will serve as a guest coach on the World Athletic Coaches Club panel.