Day two national champs recap: Dream day for 28-year-old hurdler
Day two action, highlighted by Noelle Montcalm's inspirational 400m hurdles race, concluded Friday at Canada's Olympic trials (photo: Claus Andersen).
Day two recap by Jay Smith
Under unsettled skies and with gusty winds, the second day of the Athletics Canada trials in Edmonton saw few finals but set the stage for many to attempt Olympic qualification later this weekend.
For Noelle Montcalm, it was a perfect race. Having been plagued by injuries over the past two years, Montcalm won the 400m hurdles in 55.83, well under the Olympic standard of 56.20, which means that she will be going to Rio. She let out an incredible roar at the finish line. With her boyfriend and mother in the stands, it was a dream day for the 28-year-old athlete.
Montcalm narrowly beat out Sage Watson, who finished in 55.83. Third-place Chanice Chase ran 56.06. Because all three have Olympic qualifying times, Canada can send a strong women’s team to Rio. Sarah Wells, recovering from a torn hamstring, ran a qualifying time earlier this year but did not qualify by virtue of placing fourth.
RELATED: Canada’s fastest-ever 10,000m man in serious jeopardy of missing Olympic team.
In the men’s 400m hurdles final, Windsor Ontario’s Khalil Parris won gold but no competitors met the Olympic standard so no Canadians will be in Rio for the event.
RELATED: See how the Olympic selection works.
Women’s 400m preliminaries saw the four women with Olympic qualifying times — Audrey Jean-Baptiste, Carline Muir, Micha Powell, and Aiyanna-Brigette Stiverne — finish further back, although all four will proceed to the finals this weekend.
Nicole Sifuentes lead out the women’s 1500 preliminaries, followed by Gabriela Stafford and Hilary Stellingwerff. All three have their Olympic standards and will be battling it out in the finals Saturday. Of note, Sheila Reid, Canada’s fastest woman of 2016, did not start the race because of injury.
RELATED: Canada’s fastest 1,500m runner Sheila Reid ends bid for second Olympics.
In the women’s shot put, 2016 world champion of the “indoor heptathlon”, Brianne Theisen-Eaton made a strong appearance, throwing a best of 13.87m twice. London Western’s Brooke Hoxar did better, however, throwing 13.89m on her first and last attempts.
In preliminary rounds for the women’s 400m, Kendra Clarke, Alicia Brown, and Kelsey Balkwill had the three fastest times. In the men’s race, Nathan George held the fastest qualifying time at 47.35, followed by Graeme Thompson (47.64), Benjamin Ayesu-Attach (47.74) and Khalil Parris (47.65).
Towards the end of the program of events, the weather cleared and it was an idyllic mid-summer evening for the women’s 3000m steeplechase finals, an event where athletes clear hurdles and jump over a water pit each lap. Erin Teschuk led a tight breakaway trio through to the finish, crossing in 9:50.99 ahead of Maria Bernard (9:51.55) and Geneviève Lalonde (9:52.18). Lalonde is the Canadian record holder in the event.
All three women have the Olympic qualifying times meaning Teschuk and Bernard automatically qualify for Rio. Lalonde too is expected to be named to the team because of her strong performances of late.
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