Toronto’s Jazz Shukla continues to dominate Canadian Track and Field League
Shukla holds the fastest two 800m times run by a Canadian this season
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Athletepics.ca
At the penultimate meeting of the 2023 Canadian Track and Field League (CTFL) season in Guelph, Ont., on June 21, Toronto’s Jazz Shukla won the women’s 800m in a meeting record time of 2:01.43, breaking the previous record held by Melissa Bishop-Nriagu. Shukla’s win was the second-fastest time by a Canadian this season, helping catapult The Spitfires into the top spot in the CTFL standings.
Heading into the meet, the women’s 800m was arguably the most anticipated race on the track, featuring Canadian Olympians Lucia Stafford and Madeleine Kelly. On the first lap, Shukla settled in behind Kelly and Stafford before making a decisive move with 400m left. Shukla positioned herself on Stafford’s heels entering the final straightaway, narrowly securing victory over her former university teammate in time of 2:01.43, ahead of Stafford’s 2:01.63.
Shukla’s impressive time broke the previous meet record of 2:01.85 set by 800m Olympian and Huskies manager Bishop-Nriagu in 2021.
The 24-year-old 800m runner has been on fire this season, winning four of her last five races and holding the fastest 800m time by a Canadian this year–2:00.84 at the Portland Track Classic last month. Shukla has yet to represent Canada at a World Championships or Olympics at the senior level, but is making a strong case for herself for potential selection this year in the World Athletics rankings, sitting currently at 38th.
Notable performances
The women’s 800m wasn’t the only event blazing up the track. In the men’s 400m, Michael Roth of St. Thomas, Ont., clocked a near-personal-best time of 46.07 seconds, claiming the win for The Arctics. Usheoritse Itsekiri of Nigeria, who competes for The Bears, continued his streak of impressive runs in the men’s 100m with a time of 10.05 seconds. Itsekiri, who lives and trains in Regina, has yet to lose a 100m race this season, winning his last 10 starts.
With one meet left, the Spitfires continue to sit atop the CTFL standings with 1,337 points. The Arctics trail them with 1,190 points for second place, followed by the Huskies, who sit in third with 1,146 points and then the Bears with 1,130 points.
Over 80 CTFL athletes from all four teams were in action at the Royal City Inferno, the second-last meet of the CTFL regular season. The athletes will come together on July 5 in Ottawa for their final chance to qualify for the CTFL championship on Aug. 5.
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