NTL continues Sunday with Victoria International Track Classic

Victoria International Track Classic features World & Olympic medallists and abundancy of Canadian middle distance talent 

WATCH LIVE ON ATHLETICSCANADA.TV AT 1PM PT JUNE 19

The National Track League (NTL) continues at 1 p.m. PT Sunday, June 19 in Victoria, B.C., with the Victoria International Track Classic at the University of Victoria’s Centennial Stadium.

This is one of the final chances that Canadian and international athletes have to earn an Olympic qualifying mark heading into the July 7 - 10 Trials in Edmonton. The added pressure should make for compelling competition in Victoria.

As well, National Development races will be filled with some of Canada’s best University and High School athletes who are ready to break through to the next level. These are Canada’s future Olympic, Commonwealth Games and Pan Am Games competitors.

Victoria International Track Classic Event Previews

The women’s 800-metre race features Canada’s silver medallist from the 2015 IAAF World Championships, Melissa Bishop of Eganville, Ont. North Vancouver, B.C.’s Jessica Smith – a 2012 London Olympian who owns a personal best of 1:59.86 could challenge Bishop. Hillary Stellinwerff of Sarnia, Ont., and American Chrishuna Williams will look to challenge, along with NCAA standout Annie Leblanc of Repentigny, Que.

2015 IAAF world champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medallist, Derek Drouin of Corunna, Ont., looks to build momentum going into the Canadian Championships and Olympic Selection Trials. The Canadian record holder will be joined by fellow Olympian and 2.33-metres jumper, Mike Mason of Nanoose Bay, B.C.

Combining strength and agility, the hammer throw is truly a sight to behold. Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion Sultana Frizell of Perth, Ont., headlines a field that includes Heather Steacy of Lethbridge, Alta., and Jillian Weir of Vancouver, B.C. Frizell and Steacy both have attained the Olympic qualifying standard and will likely represent Canada later this summer at the Rio Olympics.

The men’s 100-metres includes several high-end sprinters led by Olympian Ryan Bailey of the U.S.A. and Keymar Hyman of the Cayman Islands. Dontae Richards-Kwok Mississauga, Ont., and Akeem Haynes of Calgary, Alta., hope to improve on their season’s bests to vie for spots in individual and relay spots on Team Canada for Rio.

Olympian Angela Whyte of Edmonton, Alta., will take on a strong contingent of US athletes in the women’s 100-metre hurdles. She’s running well and a top three finish at next month’s Canadian Championships and Olympic Selection Trials would be a great way to cap a tremendous career.

In the men’s 800-metres Anthony Romaniw of Hamilton, Ont., will take on a host of American middle distance standouts. He will be up against 2012 Olympic fourth place finisher Duane Solomon and World Championships semi-finalist Brandon Johnson. University of Windsor’s duo of Corey Bellemore and Alex Ullman look to drop time and take a shot at the Olympic standard.

The women’s 1500-metres includes 2015 Pan American Games bronze medallist Sasha Gollish of Toronto, Ont. After taking a few shots in the 5000-metres, Gollish hopes for a fast time in the shorter distance. Jessica O’Connell of Calgary, Alta., is fresh off a solid 5000-metres and looks to work on her speed, it will be interesting to see how she can translate that endurance and fitness to the 1500-metres. Geneviève Lalonde of Moncton, N.B., and Erin Teschuk of Winnipeg, Man., both represented Canada at the 2015 Pan American Games. Lalonde is coming off a Canadian record in the 3000-metres steeple chase (9:32.17).

Watch the 2016 Victoria International Track Classic Live at 1:00 p.m. on AthleticsCanada.tv. More information about the upcoming National Track League (NTL) competitions in Halifax (June 22), Guelph (June 25) and Edmonton (July 15) can be found here and Canadian Championship & Olympic Selection Trials here.

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