Day three of Canadian track championships proves to be the best yet
Day three of the Canadian track championships concluded on Saturday in Edmonton including wins by Andre De Grasse, Gabriela Stafford and Chuck PT (photo: Claus Andersen).
Day three recap by Jay Smith
“Im going to Rio, baby.” That’s how Charles Philibert-Thiboutot celebrated making the Canadian Olympic team on Saturday at the national track championships.
For many of the athletes this weekend in Edmonton, the national championships meet was not necessarily full of surprises. Reigning Pan Am Games champion in the 100m and 200m Andre De Grasse qualified running the 100m in 9.99 to win the national title.
Characteristically, he was humble about his victory post-race. “I felt a bit rusty…I haven’t run in a little bit. But I wanted to please the crowd,” he said in an interview. “I’m ready for Rio.”
Other victories were more hard-fought.
Philibert-Thiboutot surged ahead in the last lap of the men’s 1,500m to take the win before exclaiming his joy in front of the crowded stands at Edmonton’s Foote Field.
The neon-clad Asics runner, with a bob of curly blonde hair, was well-positioned in the tight field throughout the first 1K of the race. Entering the bell lap, he said that he told himself, “let’s just go. This is just like another workout. Do a 500m all out.”
The mentality worked, as he pulled away in the last 300m from Justyn Knight and Nate Brannen to finish in 3:55.75. His competitors stayed on his heels crossing the line in 3:56.00 and 3:56.11. Knight has run the Olympic standard while Brannen has meaning that Brannen is likely to be named to Canada’s team for Rio.
The crowded pack took one victim: Adam Palamar did not finish when he was caught up in some feet and tripped of the track.
RELATED: Day two national champs recap: Dream day for 28-year-old hurdler.
Crystal Emmanuel won the women’s 100m and credited sheer determination. “I got on the start line,” she said, “and I looked down the track to the finish. I told myself, ‘ain’t nobody going to get there before I do.'”
The iron will succeeded. She ran 11.26, narrowly ahead of Phylicia George who crossed the line in 11.27. This race cements the two as Olympic qualifiers.
In the women’s 1,500m, Gabriela Stafford claimed the national title in 4:18.51. Second and third place finishers, Nicole Sifuentes and Hilary Stellingwerff, each had run Olympic qualifying times as well. Stafford and Sifuentes made the team because of a top-two finish while the third discretionary spot is expected to go to Stellingwerff.
RELATED: Canada’s fastest 1,500m runner Sheila Reid ends bid for second Olympics.
Stafford said her victory was “very surreal. Yesterday I was a mess. Today I felt much better, more like this was just another race.” Just another race that fulfilled her Olympic dreams.
Earlier in the day, her younger sister, Lucia, won the national junior title in the 1,500m running 4:32.61.
In the 800m, Olympic favourites Fiona Benson, Melissa Bishop and Jessica Smith advanced to Sunday’s final. Those three have the Olympic qualifying standard.
De Grasse took the men’s 100m followed by Aaron Brown, who was disappointed with the result on Saturday but still qualified for his second Olympic Games. Brown recently ran 9.96, a feat only a few Canadians before him ever managed to do.
The man of the hour @De6rasse! pic.twitter.com/Qo5rvmYmBr
— CanadianRunning (@CanadianRunning) July 10, 2016
The day ended with the men’s 3,000m steeplechase where Taylor Milne won out in a three-man breakaway, finishing in 8:36.50. In the last lap, and on the last water jump, he found the speed to best out Chris Winter and Antoine Thibeault. Matt Hughes did not race due to injury.
We're hearing that Matt Hughes scratched the 3K steeple earlier today due to injury #actrials He's the CDN record holder @TrackTownCAN
— CanadianRunning (@CanadianRunning) July 10, 2016
Day four action (the final day) concludes the competition on Sunday.
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