A Preview of the 2017 Summer Track & Field Season
In the aftermath of their historic track and field season, it would be easy to think that the UBC Track & Field action is done for another year. However, just as the collegiate season winds down, the summer track & field season picks up, with several exciting competitions lying on the near horizon.
Although the Harry Jerome Track Classic is not a championship meet, it is one that is near and dear to the UBC community. With former head coaches Marek Jedrzejek and Doug Clement playing vital roles in meet organization, it has long been a meet that fits into the summer racing schedule of many athletes, and one well-deserving of a preview here. You can expect to see the UBC distance squad out in full force, as the Jerome serves as one of the finest opportunities for middle-distance athletes to chase personal bests. If you have a chance to make it out to Coquitlam Town Centre to watch, it will be a great opportunity to cheer on UBC athletes and alumni, as well as one of Canada's biggest track & field stars – Andre De Grasse.
Shortly after the Harry Jerome, the most impactful meet on the summer calendar takes place. From July 6th to 9th, the Canadian National Championships will be held in Ottawa. In addition to national bragging rights, the meet will put spots on the Canadian National team up for grabs. UBC alumni Evan Dunfee, Benjamin Thorne (racewalk), Liz Gleadle (javelin) and Michael Mason (high jump) have already secured their World Championship standard, and will look to confirm their place on the national team with a top-2 placing. Fellow Olympic alumni Maria Bernard and Lucas Bruchet are still searching for their standards, but expect them to be competitive at National’s. With the meet also serving as the Junior National Championships, UBC will have a number of current team members - and incoming recruits - competing. On the line for junior athletes will be a national team spot at the Pan-Am Junior Championships. For some of the current team members, a spot at FISU (World University Games) will be on the line; watch out for John Gay, who is currently ranked second in the steeplechase out of eligible Canadian athletes. Additionally, UBC coaches Chris Johnson (distance) and Mary Chewning (sprints) will be heading to Ottawa as coaches with the BC provincial team. All in all, the Canadian Championship weekend will be one of the most exciting on the calendar this summer.
The first international competition of the summer is the Jeux de la Francophonie (Francophone Games) taking place in Côte d'Ivoire at the end of July. These games are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie (French-speaking nations). 2015 graduate Justin Kent will be competing in the 1500m, making his national team debut. John Gay will be competing in the 3000m steeplechase, and the two will be joined by current assistant coach, Kendra Pomfret, who will also be making her national team debut in the 1500m.
Following the Francophone Games, in early August, the best athletes in the world will descend upon London, England for the IAAF World Championships. As mentioned earlier, the National Championships in Ottawa will reveal the athletes representing Canada at World’s. At the 2016 Olympics, UBC Track & Field saw seven alumni compete, and that batch of Olympians looks poised to bring the T-Bird presence to London. While many UBC alumni have the potential to perform well, racewalkers Benjamin Thorne and Evan Dunfee may be the UBC athletes to watch. Ben will be a returning medalist, after winning bronze in the 20km Racewalk at the 2015 World Championships; and with Evan finishing a close fourth in Rio in the 50km Racewalk, he will be pushing hard for his first major championship medal.
With the Canadian Summer Games trials for the BC Team completed this past weekend and the team confirmed, it will be an exciting opportunity for seven T-Birds. Distance coaches Chris Johnson and Norm Tinkham will have four athletes competing: Lukas Jarron (800m), Kieran Lumb, Jesse Hooton, and Enid Au (all 5000m). Three speed-and-power athletes will join the distance contingent, with Jake Hanna (400mH), Joel Della Siega (High Jump), and Bogdan Pavel (110mH) also booking their tickets. While other provinces have not yet announced their teams, it is possible that we will see several more UBC athletes competing for their home provinces. The Canada Summer Games are a huge opportunity for developing athletes to have their first experience of a large multi-sport competition. As the games only happen every four years, it is a unique chance to witness the development of our next sporting stars. The games will take place in Winnipeg from July 28th to August 13th.
Rounding out the competition calendar are the World University Games. These games are the second largest multi-sport games in the world, second only to the Summer Olympics. During the last two weeks of August, the best university students on the planet will gather to compete in Taipei, Taiwan. Selection is based on achieving the qualifying standards, as well as performing well at the Canadian National Championships. Currently, steeplechaser John Gay has the qualifying standard, with several other athletes edging nearer to the necessary marks in the final weeks of the qualification period. Selection of UBC athletes to this team serves as yet another reason to tune in to watch Canadian National’s in early July.
Outside of these marquee events, myriad UBC athletes, alumni, and recruits will be competing all over the world this summer; all the while, the UBC coaches will there to help them reach new heights. It promises to be an exciting few months; and to all members of UBC Track & Field – past, present, and future – I wish you the best of luck as you pursue your athletic goals this summer!
Summer 2017 Track & Field Meets:
Harry Jerome, Coquitlam, BC: June 28th
Canadian National Championships (Jr. & Sr.), Ottawa, Ontario: July 6th-July 9th
Francophone Games: Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: July 21st-July 30th
World Championships, London, England: August 5th-August 13th
FISU (Universiade), Taipei, Taiwan: August 19th-August 30th
Canada Summer Games, Winnipeg, Manitoba: July 28th-August 13th
