Calgary’s Chloe Turner overcomes fall to win Canadian U20 XC title

It’s easy to consider giving up when a race hasn’t gone your way, but the real challenge lies in coming back after facing adversity. Chloe Turner of Calgary fell halfway into her opening lap of three in the U20 women’s 6K at the 2023 Canadian Cross Country Championships. Twenty minutes later, Turner was the first U20 woman to cross the finish line, winning the race by nine seconds.

“There was a large pack of runners heading into a muddy corner,” Turner says, replaying the race. “I had a feeling someone would fall, and unfortunately, it happened to be me.”

Instead of getting caught up in her fall, Turner battled back and reached the front of the field by the second lap. “I had all this adrenaline and didn’t want to be trampled,” says Turner. “I knew I had to get up and keep going.”

On the final lap, Turner began to surge ahead, winning her second Canadian U20 title of the year in 21:34 ahead of Quebec’s Marika Couture and Beatrice Filion. Turner also won the U20 5,000m title at the Track and Field Championships in July.

Turner told Canadian Running that she had a solid fall build in anticipation of contending at the U Sports XC Championships with the University of Calgary. Unfortunately, she was unable to run there, catching COVID-19 just days before the race. “I was disappointed about U Sports, but I tried to come into these national championships with the same energy and it paid off.”

🇨🇦 U20 women’s champion Chloe Turner of Calgary fell on the first lap of three in her 6K race.

She got up, fought back to the front and won by nine seconds. 🤯

Turner also says she just got over a spout with COVID-19 two weeks ago… Talk about adversity!#ACXC2023 pic.twitter.com/xchClKji2K

— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) November 25, 2023

This was the third year in a row Turner has competed at the Canadian XC Championships, and she says it’s been a goal of hers to win the race.

Saskatchewan’s Jonathan Podbielski wins third U20 title of the season

The 2023 season has been a breakout year for Saskatchewan middle-distance runner Jonathan Podbielski. At track nationals in July, Podbielski pulled off the double in the U20 men’s 800 and 1,500m. He added his third U20 title of 2023 to his resume on Saturday in Ottawa, winning the men’s 8K in 24:58.

Podbielski sat in the lead group for over three of the four laps and put in a stunning final surge to pull away from Quebec’s Nolan Turgeon, who finished second in 25:03. Yemane Mulugeta of Surrey, B.C. rounded out the U20 men’s podium in 25:12.

At 19, Podbielski is one of Canada’s top up-and-coming middle-distance runners, and he trains and competes in his hometown of Regina. His electrifying celebrations and performances from the 2023 Canadian Track and Field Championships made him an athlete to watch, and he’ll be one of the favourites for the 1,000m and 1,500m during the 2024 U Sports Indoor season.

For full results from the 2023 Canadian XC Championships in Ottawa,check here.