World Athletics extends invitation to six more Canadian athletes

On Sunday, World Athletics extended invitations to six Canadian athletes to join the previously selected team of 50 to compete at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. The final Canadian team will comprise 56 athletes, consisting of 30 women and 26 men—two more athletes than were sent to last year’s world championships in Eugene, Oregon.

The additional six athletes are headlined by Canadian 5,000m champion Briana Scott and NCAA 800m runner Abdullahi Hassan, both making their world championship debuts in their respective events. Also added to the team are 2016 Olympian Erin Teschuk (W 5,000m), U Sports Athlete of the Year Mark Bujnowski (M shot put), Kate Current of Port Hope, Ont. (W 1,500m) and Grace Tennant of Lincoln, Ont. (W shot put).

Although these six athletes did not meet the world championship standard, World Athletics has extended an invitation to them based on their world rankings and performances at major meets.

Canada is coming off a successful performance at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Ore., where they won four medals: one gold, two silver and one bronze. Notably, Canada is the reigning world champion in the men’s 4x100m relay, defeating the powerful U.S. team on their home turf last July. The quartet of Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney and Jerome Blake are eager to defend their title in Budapest.

Here’s is updated Team Canada lineup:

The 2023 World Athletics Championships will take place at the National Athletics Centre Field in Budapest., from Aug 19-27.