Laval’s Yves Sikubwabo extends win streak at Princeton
The Quebec City student hasn't lost a university cross-country race in more than a year
You have to go back more than a year for the last time Yves Sikubwabo lost a university cross-country race.
The Laval University senior won the 2017 Princeton Invitational in New Jersey on Saturday, clocking 24:03 for 8K, his third win of the summer/fall cross-country season.
The last time Sikubwabo finished outside the winner’s circle while racing for a university was on Sept. 24, 2016. Since then, the Quebec City runner has won the 2016 Rouge et Or Invitational, UNB/STU XC Invitational, Quebec Conference Championships, U Sports Cross-Country Championships, 2017 Vert et Or Invitational, Rouge et Or Invitational, and his most recent run in Princeton, N.J.
The defending national university cross-country champion finished second (in an identical time as the winner) at the 2016 Vert et Or Invitational. The Kigali, Rwanda-born runner who gained Canadian citizenship in 2015 is a favourite to repeat as a national champion in November as the season begins to wind down after a mid-September start.
The Princeton Invitational, hosted by the Ivy League University, was Canadian-dominated as Sikubwabo and Guelph’s Connor Black went 1-2 in the men’s 8K. In the women’s 6K, Canadians finished first through fourth including Laval’s Anne-Marie Comeau in 21:12 followed by Alexandra Lucki (Maryland), Aurelie Dube-Lavoie (Laval) and Jessy Lacourse (Laval).
Comeau, who in September CR called an X-factor for Laval, has won two consecutive cross-country races including Laval’s home meet, the Rouge et Or Invitational on Oct. 7, her first time racing an 8K cross course.
All five of the Canadian-based runners are ranked in our U Sports mid-season power rankings.
The Canadian university (U Sports) cross-country championships are Nov. 12 in Victoria.
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