The first day of the 2016 Hershey Athletics Canada Indoor Championships kicked off Friday morning with a Hershey Run Jump Throw Wheel clinic for local Montreal youth. Working with world-class athletes, the next generation of track and field stars shared a lot of smiles and laughs as they got to try a number of track and field events.
Friday night’s schedule was highlighted by a number of close finishes. A photo finish separated the top two in the men’s open 60-metres. Michael Leblanc of Riverview, N.B., edged Seyi Smith of Ottawa, Ont., 6.71 to 6.74 for the victory.
Junior age category athlete Thomas Fafard of Repentigny, Que., kicked down the homestretch to win the combined men’s senior/juinor 3000-metres. Club Vainqueurs teammates Jonathan Tedeschi of Montreal, Que., and Patrice Labonté of Laval, Que., set the pace for the majority of the race and finished first (8:38.54) and second (8:40.09) in the senior category.
In the women’s 3000-metres, senior Arianne Raby of Repentigny, Que., made a strong move at the bell and used a strong last 200-metres to hold off a challenge from junior Laura Dickinson of Miramichi, N.B. Raby set the pace for the majority of the race before relinquishing the lead to Dickinson two-thirds of the way into the race. Raby crossed the line as the first senior in 9:52.50, while Dickinson’s clocking of 9:57.54 was good for the junior title.
In the men’s pole vault, David Foley of Sherbrooke, Que., kept the crowd engaged and on the edge of their seats with clearances over the five metre mark. Foley was victorious in the senior section with a best vault of 5.20-metres.
Day two of the 2016 Hershey Indoor Canadian Championships begins Saturday at 9 a.m. The second day of competition includes the Banque Nationale Bruny Surin 4-50-metres celebrity relay and 26 Olympic calibre athletes competing in the international invitational. Catch all the action live on AthleticsCanada.tv.
Other Day 1 Canadian Champions
Youth 60-metres - Women: Tatiana Aholou, Laval, QC
Youth 60-metres - Men: Gabriel Simoneau, Lévis, QC
Junior 60-metres - Women: Jorden Savoury, Lasalle, QC
Junior 60-metres - Men: Nicolas Sixta, Châteauguay, QC
Open 60-metres - Women: Martine Cloutier-Leblanc, Québec, QC
Masters 60-metres - Men: Jerry Kangni, Laval, QC
Youth 3000-metres - Women: Lily Meek, Athens, ON
Youth 3000-metres - Men: Luke Jaciw-Zurakowsky, Pickering, ON
Youth Weight Throw - Women: Catherine Bouchard, Airdrie, AB
Youth Weight Throw - Men: Andreas Tronschke, Olds, AB
Junior Weight Throw - Women: Holly Taylor, Brantford, ON
Junior Weight Throw - Men: Noah Ralph, St. Thomas, ON
Open Weight Throw - Women: Galina Mityaeva, Saint-Laurent, QC
Open Weight Throw - Men: Frederick Pouzy, Pierrefonds, QC
Youth Triple Jump - Women: Emily Sluys, London, ON
Junior Triple Jump - Women: Kerry-Ann James, Toronto, ON
Open Triple Jump - Women: Valérie Kodo Ella, Montréal, QC
Youth Pole Vault - Men: Charlie Fogerty, Caledon, ON
Junior Pole Vault - Men: Samuel Burton, Ormstown, QC
Full Results: http://liveresults.athletics.local/Live_Results/2016/Indoor_en_salle/
