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Here are the six Canadian records that were broken last weekend

Gabriela DuBues-Stafford, Moh Ahmed, Aurora Rynda, Kyra Constantine, Chloe Thomas and Lauren Gale have put their names in the Canadian record books

Gabriela debues-stafford
February 14, 2022
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There was plenty of love in the air for six new Canadian records on the weekend. Four women are waking up this Valentine’s Day as new Canadian record holders in their respective events, while two other Canadians are entering elite company, clocking two of the fastest seven indoor 5,000m times ever. If you missed any of the actions, we have you covered. Here’s a list of the six Canadian records that were broken on the weekend. 

Mohammed Ahmed
Ahmed at a Boston University track meet in 2017. Photo: Richard Lupp.

1) Gabriela DeBues-Stafford breaks her own Canadian indoor 5,000m record (14:31)

The 26-year-old phenom from Toronto shattered her own Canadian indoor 5,000m record of 14:57.45 by 26 seconds to run a new area (North American) record time of 14:31.38 on Feb. 11, at the David Hemery Valentine Invite in Boston. DeBues-Stafford’s time is the fifth-fastest indoor 5,000m time ever.

This is the second Canadian record DeBues-Stafford has broken in the last two weeks – she broke the Canadian indoor 3,000m record last weekend at the NB Grand Prix in New York (8:33.92).

2) Mohammed Ahmed goes sub-13 in indoor 5,000m to shatter his Canadian record (12:56.87)

In the first race since his silver medal-winning 5,000m in Tokyo, Ahmed finished second in a record-setting men’s 5,000m race at the David Hemery Valentine Invite in Boston. Ahmed ran 12:56.87 to break his own Canadian indoor 5,000m record of 13:04.60.

Ahmed’s training partner, Grant Fisher, won the race, setting an American indoor record of 12:53.73. Ahmed’s time is the seventh-fastest indoor 5,000m time ever. He joins running greats Eliud Kipchoge, Kenenisa Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie, who have all run sub-13 on the indoor track. 

3) Aurora Rynda breaks 38-year-old Canadian 600m record (1:27:05)

The fourth-year University of Michigan athlete cruised to victory in 600m at the Windy City Invite in Chicago with a blazing time of 1:27.05 to break the 38-year-old Canadian 600m record. Rynda is the two-time reigning 600m champion in the Big Ten conference, and with her time, she set the fastest 600m time in Big Ten conference history – which ranks #4 all-time in the NCAA.

Photo: Jorge Espinosa/ MileSplit

The previous 600m record was held by Camille Cato, who ran 1:27.63 at a Canadian championship meet in Sherbrooke, Que. in 1984.

4) Chloe Thomas sets a new U20 record in the mile (4:40.74)

The University of Connecticut first-year student from Dundas, Ont. ran a seven-second personal best in the mile of 4:40.74 to break Lucia Stafford’s U20 Canadian mile record of 4:41.30. At 19, Thomas has had a magnificent debut season in the NCAA, with a top ten finish at the Big East XC Championships in the fall and setting personal bests in the 800m and the mile. 

5) Kyra Constantine breaks Canadian 300m record (36.94)

Constantine shaved 0.14 seconds off Sage Watson’s indoor 300m national record at the American Track League Eastern Indoors meet in Louisville, Ky., becoming the first Canadian woman to dip under 37 seconds in the 300m event.

The 400m Tokyo Olympian recently turned pro with Nike, after graduating from the University of Southern California last summer. 

6) Lauren Gale breaks long-standing Canadian indoor 200m record (23.08)

At the Don Kirby Invitational at the University of New Mexico, the fourth-year Colorado State University student from Ottawa, Lauren Gale, broke the long-standing Canadian indoor 200m record held by Angela Bailey by 0.30 seconds.

Gale set a massive personal best of 23.08 to run a school and Canadian record in the event. Gale was a spare for the Canadian 4×400 relay team at the Tokyo Olympics.

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