Home > The Scene

Get to know 2017 OFSAA Champion Marcel Sheele

Ten questions with Marcel Sheele

OFSAA is the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association, and is one of the biggest high school meets in North America. There are three rounds of qualification before admittance to the big meet on the first weekend of June. Qualifying for, and doing well at OFSAA is a big goal for many high school athletes.

Many of Canada’s best track and road athletes began their careers at OFSAA. This is a series to acknowledge and get to know some of the young Canadian talent that are doing big things in the sport of track and field. We will feature an athlete from each of the six regions of Ontario, and learn about what track, and OFSAA, mean to them.

Marcel Sheele is a fifth-year student at St. Marys DCVI in St. Marys, Ont. and last year’s OFSAA 2,000m steeplechase winner. Sheele will attend St. Mary’s University in Halifax this fall, where he will pursue a Bachelor of Arts.

Sheele is hoping to qualify for the World Junior Championships this summer in Finland. Sunday night in Hamilton, Sheele ran the Canadian leading time for the junior steeplechase, placing him in a strong qualification position for the games. The team will be chosen based on the top two times for each event on July 9th. 

RELATED: Get to know OFSAA record holder Austin Ingram 

 

Ten questions with Marcel Sheele:

What is your favourite part about track and field? My favourite part would have to be racing and competition. 

What are your goals for the year? I’m looking to defend my title at OFSAA in the steeplechase, and hopefully medal in the 3,000m. Last night I made standard for World Jr.’s and also set a new personal best by 22 seconds, which was really exciting. My shoe also came off with 500m to go, so it wasn’t a perfect race but still a good result. 

Favourite song to listen to pre race? We Rise by Sanholo.

What is your ideal post-race meal? I love Five Guys Burgers. My order there is the double bacon cheeseburger. There’s one on my way home from the track, so it’s the perfect stop. 

Who is the coolest running celebrity? Mo Farah, for sure. 

Who is your best running buddy? Isaiah Frielink. He goes to Western now. He’s a good friend. 

How did you find the sport of track and field? I didn’t start training until grade 10. I barely made OFSAA in grade nine, and after that experience I wanted to train and become more competitive. After that race I joined my club and started to take track and field more seriously. 

What is your best track and field memory? Winning OFSAA last year. It was something I had worked for for a while. So when I won it was really satisfying. 

What is your favourite piece of running gear? My Nike Reacts. I got them recently and I’ve been doing long runs and workouts in them. I like using them for steeple workouts because they’re so long. The shoes help lessen the stress on my body. 

What is your dream track to race at? Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. 

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

The best trainers in Canada under $150

We curated the best performance trainers under $150 to meet your 2024 running goals, while staying on budget