The first day of the 2015 Hershey Athletics Canada Indoor Championships kicked off in Montreal on Friday evening with the National Bank Bruny Surin Celebrity Sprint Challenge. A number of Olympians, MMA fighters and Montreal favorites linedup as UFC superstar Georges St. Pierre started the race. Former Montreal Allouette Étienne Boulayproved to be quickest in the 60-metre racetaking the win in a time of 7.42 seconds.
One of the most competitive eventson the first day proved to bethe final of the women’s Open 60-metres. The race featured the four members of the Canadian record 4x100-metres relay team; Kimberly Hyacinthe of Montreal, Que., Khamica Bingham of Caledon, Ont., Crystal Emmanuel of East York, Ont., and Shai-Anne Davis of Toronto, Ont. Bingham crossed the line first in aseason’s best of 7.23 seconds. She was followed across the line by Emmanuel, Hyacinthe and Davis.
In the 1500m Open division Jessica O’Connell of Calgary, Alb., won the women’s race in 4:23.50 while Alex Genest of Lac-aux-Sables, Que., used a strong kick to secure the victory in the men’s final. O’Connell raced the 3000m last weekend at the Millrose Games and her time of 8:53.09 was only 5 seconds off the Canadian record. After not competing last summer the 3:54.21 was a good check of fitness for Genest as he looks forward to a summer of racing the steeplechase.
In the men’s 60m Open dash Gavin Smellie of Etobicoke, Ont., cruised through his heat and wasn’t really challenged in the final scoring the victory in at time of 6.71. David Foley of Sherbrooke, Que., won the men’s Open pole vault with a clearance of 5.10m. Multi event athlete Jillian Drouin of Sarnia, Ont., launched the shot put 13.52m for the best toss of the women’s Open shot competition.
Day 2 of the Hershey Indoor Canadian Championships begins Saturday at 9am. An exciting evening of action is in store with a Canadian record attempt in the men’s 5000m Race Walk, a loaded women’s 800m field and a World Record attempt in the men’s 600m featuring Olympic silver medallist Luguelin Santos and 2011 World champion in the 400m Hurdles, Dai Greene.
Other Day 1 Canadian Champions
Youth Pole vault –Men: Maxime Léveillé
Junior Pole Vault –Men: Samuel Burton
Youth Triple Jump –Men: Ivan Nyemeck
Junior Triple Jump –Men: Malique Munroe
Junior Shot Put –Women: Noémie Jeffrey
Youth 1500m –Women: Madelaine Sumner
Youth 1500m –Men: Riley Tell
Junior 1500m –Women: Jessy Lacourse
Junior 1500m –Men: Nebil Ben Salem
Youth 60m –Women: Tatiana Aholou
Youth 60m –Men: Seth Long
Junior 60m –Women: Shanice Williams
Junior 60m –Men: Nicholas Palomino
