What to Watch at the 2016 Hershey Canadian Indoor Championships

Along with serving as the national indoor championship for youth and junior age category athletes, the Hershey Canadian Indoor Championships features competition from Canada’s national team athletes in Open and Invitational events against athletes from around the world. 

The 2016 Hershey Canadian Indoor Championships take place February 19 to 21 in Montreal, Que., at Complexe Sportif Claude-Robillard. Admission to the event is free, if you're not in Montreal you can catch all the action live on www.athleticscanada.tv. For a full event schedule and much more visit www.indoors.athletics.local.

Here’s a list of events to keep an eye on:

Hershey's Run Jump Throw Wheel - Friday, February 19th, 10:00am

A number of featured athletes competing in Saturday's invitational events will work together along with event ambassador Bruny Surin on Friday to get a group of 200 school kids excited and active through the Hershey's Run Jump Throw Wheel program, Athletics Canada's grassroots fundamental movement skills program. Media are invited to catch the action and interview participating athletes. Click here for more on this event. 

Quebec Future Stars

Throughout the weekend a talented group of rising star athletes from Quebc will compete in youth, junior and open competition. Magali Roche (Long Jump),Mikella Lefebvre-Oatis (High Jump), Jessy Lacourse (800m, 1500m), Jordan Savoury (60m, 200m, 400m), Najib El Andaloussi (800m), Tatiana Aholou (60m, 60mH), Arielle Bykovskaia-Dominique (60mH, Long Jump). Magali Roche competed at the 2013 World Youth Championships and 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Lefebve-Oatis was a member of the 2015 World Youth Championships, Jessy Lacourse competed at the 2014 World Junior Championships and Jordan Savoury was a member of the 2015 World Youth Championships team.   

Men’s Open 60-metres - Friday, February 19th, 6:00pm

A trio of experienced veterans take on a young Canadian sprinter on the rise. Running a World Indoor qualifying time of 6.65 earlier this month, national team member Sam Effah of Calgary, Alta., looks to get past injury issues that have plagued him the past few seasons. 2012 Olympian Seyi Smith of Ottawa, Ont., and 2012 World Indoor semi-finalist Michael LeBlanc of Riverview, N.B., both look to challenge Effah and Quebec’s Lucanus Robinson. In his first year in the senior rank sRobinson has clocked a 6.72 this season.

Women’s Open 60-metres - Friday, February 19th, 6:00pm

The women’s 60-metres field is headlined by Crystal Emmanuel of Pickering, Ont., and Shaina Harrison of Aurora, Ont. Emmanuel is a 2012 Olympian and was a finalist at the 2015 World Championships with the 4x100-metres relay. In 2015 Harrison placed fifth at the 2015 Canadian Outdoor Championships in the 100-metres, and was part of the 4x100-metres relay pool at the 2015 IAAF World Championships and 2015 Pan American Games. Competing for Syracuse University, Harrison recently won the 60-metres at the Armory Track Invitational. 

Men’s Open 3000-metres - Friday, February 19th, 7:15pm

Guillaume Ouellet of Victoriaville, Que., the reigning 5000-metres Paralympic world champion in the T13 class, headlines the field in the men’s 3000-metres. Along with his gold in the 5000-metres, Ouellet also placed sixth in the 1500-metres at the 2015 International Paralympic Committee World Championships. With the 2016 Paralympic Games only months away, the 3000-metres here in Montreal should be a great opportunity for Ouellet to race in front of friends and family.

Banque Nationale Bruny Surin Celebrity Sprint Challenge - Saturday, February 20th, 7:00pm

This year's Celebrity Sprint Challenge features 32 local and national celebrities in a 4x50-metres relay challenge. Four women's teams and four men's teams will take to the track in an attempt to entertain the fans, and try and limit hamstring strains and pulls. Participants include retired Grey Cup Champion Étienne Boulay, retired Olympic sprinter Hank Palmer, actor and radio personality Francisco Randez, founder and head coach of TriStar Gym Firas Zahabi, retired NHL’er Georges Laraque, Jean-François Poirier of Radio-Canada, Jeremy Filosa from FM 98.5, Andy Pressoir of Tele V and RDS’ Patrick Friolet. 

Women’s invitational 400-metres - Saturday, February 20th, 7:45pm

2015 IAAF World Championships team member and 2016 Olympic Games 4x400-metres relay team qualifier Nicole Sassine of Windsor, Ont., competes in the invitational women’s 400-metres. While a 100 and 200-metres sprinter in university, the 400-metres is still a new event for Sassine. “I’ve always had the flat speed, but I wasn’t getting much faster or slower. So I ran a race, shut my brain off and it just kind of happened. And I’m really glad it did,” said Sassine. 

Joining Sassine in the international field is a group of talented quarter-milers. Americans Ashley Spencer and Kala Funderburk have both won NCAA titles at the distance and Spencer was the 2012 IAAF World Junior Champion. Patricia Hall of Jamaica is also one to watch as she placed fifth at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing. Spencer was a member of the American team that won gold at the 2013 World Championships in the 4x400-metres relay.

Women’s invitational 800-metres - Saturday, February 20th, 8:00pm

2015 Canadian Outdoor 800-metres champion and 2015 IAAF World Championships semi-finalist Fiona Benson of Dawson Creek, B.C., competes in the invitational women’s 800-metres. Benson has achieved the Rio 2016 Olympic Games qualifying standard in  the 800 and 1500-metres. “Last year, I didn’t have any kind of plan going in. I just kind of flew by the seat of my pants through it all.”

Joining Benson in the international field are a group of talented Canadian and American half-milers. Fellow Canadians Jenna Westaway of Calgary, Alta. and Laurence Cote of Quebec, Que, will be joined by Americans, Chrishuna Williams and Charlene Lipsey.

Men’s invitational 60-metre hurdles - Saturday, February 20th, 8:20pm

2015 IAAF World Championships semi-finalists Sekou Kaba of Ottawa, Ont., and Jonathan Cabral of Péribonka, Que., take part in the invitational men’s 60-metre hurdles. They each have achieved the 2016 Olympic Games qualifying time in the 110-metre hurdles. “I feel more seasoned after competing at the World Champs, I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next in 2016,” said Kaba. The Canadians will face a talented international field including American 2013 World Championships silver medallist Ryan Wilson. 

Women’s invitational 60-metre hurdles - Saturday, February 20th, 8:40pm

Canadian Olympians Nikkita Holder of Pickering, Ont. and Angela Whyte of Edmonton, Alta., will race in the invitational women’s 60-metre hurdles.  Holder competed at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, while Whyte competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. Holder is now a mother and Whyte is the veteran who just never quits. The duo are forging distinct paths with hopes of Olympic glory in Rio.

Joining George and Holder is Lavonne Idlette of the Dominican Republic’s and Americans Bridgette Owens, Morgan Snow and Christina Manning.

For more information about the 2016 Hershey Canadian Indoor Championships, visit www.indoors.athletics.local 

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