Athletics Canada names 2019 IAAF World Championships team

52 athletes will sport the Maple Leaf in Doha Sept. 27 to Oct. 6

Team list updated on Wednesday, Sept. 11

OTTAWA – Athletics Canada announced today the 52 athletes who have been selected to represent Canada at the 2019 IAAF World Championships taking place in Doha, Qatar, from Sept. 27 to Oct. 6. All events will be held at Doha’s Khalifa Stadium with the exception of the marathon and race walk that will take place at Doha Croniche and will see athletes run along the Doha Bay and the city’s seafront.

The team is comprised of 25 men and 27 women, with 29 athletes returning from the 2017 World Championships team that finished 14th on the IAAF Placing Table with 30 points (two fifth, five sixth, two seventh and three eighth place finishes), produced two Canadian records (Mohammed Ahmed and Geneviève Lalonde), three personal bests, and 10 season’s best performances. The Canadian contingent heading to Doha will compete in 31 out of 49 events, with the 3,000-metre steeplechase featuring the most Canadian entries (three men and three women).

“Having some veterans, along with rookies, is part of the tapestry of our sport; it bodes well. When you look back at 2017, the performance as a whole was lacking for various reasons,” said Head Coach Glenroy Gilbert. “We are looking for a better result this year, but the challenges will be there. In Doha, the challenges will be the heat and the time zone, but I think we’ve done a good job trying to mitigate those situations for our athletes. I’m expecting that our team will be prepared and ready to perform when they arrive in Doha.”

Performance on demand and being able to produce results, such as seasonal bests, personal bests, Top 8 placings and podium finishes, at major international competitions is something that is communicated to each National Team. An athlete’s ability to execute is something Gilbert and Athletics Canada’s high-performance team looks for at every single event.

“In Doha, we could see a number of athletes on the podium or within striking distance,” said Gilbert. “Aaron Brown has shown he’s in good form in the 100- and 200-metres, as is Andre De Grasse. Alysha Newman is right up there, especially after her performance at the Diamond League meet in Paris, as is Brittany Crew and Gabriela DeBues-Stafford. Mohammed Ahmed is fit and has dropped some big performances, while the decathlon duo of Damian Warner and Pierce LePage is going to be exceptional. Not to mention our mixed 4x400-metre relay team that medalled at the IAAF World Relays, as well as the 4x400-metre women.”

In the midst of a strong outdoor season, 11 Canadians find themselves in the Top 10 on the IAAF World Rankings List (as of Aug. 27, 2019), which is a combination of an athlete’s measured results and their placing during competitions.

Canadian athletes ranked in the Top 10:
Damian Warner – Men’s decathlon (2nd)
Aaron Brown – Men’s 200m (3rd)
Brandon McBride – Men’s 800m (3rd)
Gabriela DeBues-Stafford – Women’s 1,500 (4th)
Alysha Newman – Women’s pole vault (5th)
Andre De Grasse – Men’s 200m (5th), men’s 100m (8th)
Mohammed Ahmed – Men’s 10,000m (6th)
Pierce LePage – Men’s decathlon (7th)
Crystal Emmanuel – Women’s 200m (9th)
Michael Mason – Men’s high jump (9th)
Brittany Crew – Women’s shot put (10th)

After securing his berth to the 2019 World Championship with double gold at the 2019 Canadian Track & Field Championships, sprinter Aaron Brown took a moment to reflect on his season and how it has prepared him for Doha. “I really wanted to build off of my 2018 campaign and use that momentum to be even better in 2019. It’s been a great year thus far, but I have to stay focused and be ready, both physically and mentally, to peak at the end of the season,” said Brown. “The World Championships have been the focal point of the season. Everything leading up to this point has been good preparation to go against the world’s best. In Doha I’m looking to challenge for podium spots, which would give me ultimate confidence going into 2020. Moreover, I’m looking for consistent performances with great execution.”

Natasha Wodak, who was named to the team in June alongside Mohammed Ahmed in the 10,000-metres and racewalkers Mathieu Bilodeau, Evan Dunfee and Rachel Seaman, sports a shiny new Pan American Games gold medal and Games record in the 10,000-metres and has had a year to remember. The 37-year-old captured Canadian titles in the 10K road race and 10,000-metres, and won three road races on the west coast.

“It has been a whirlwind of a season that’s for sure. We have been going hard since January, racing almost every month,” said Wodak. “It has been a lot, but we have been very careful about taking time to properly recover from big races. This has been the key to staying healthy and performing well when it counts. I am well prepared for the World Championships, especially after a successful Pan American Games 10,000-metres. I want to test my limits in Doha and take chances. I know I am capable of finishing in the Top 12, so I need to be confident and brave. I want to walk away from Doha knowing I gave it my all. If I can compete well, it will help build my confidence going into Tokyo.”

Prior to the Championships getting underway in Doha, Canadian athletes will have the opportunity to take part in two training camps – one in St. Moritz, Switzerland, that will help athletes adjust to the altitude, the other in Barcelona, Spain, where the emphasis will be on adjusting to the heat that is certain to greet the team in Doha.

“Prior to all global events we implement contemporary approaches to maximize championship performance through our pre-event training camps,” said Athletics Canada’s Sports Science Sports Medicine and Innovation Lead, Dr. Trent Stellingwerff. “This includes considerations around environmental conditions, time zones, travel fatigue and optimal training camp monitoring. In advance of the World Championships, Athletics Canada and VPXL.NET will implement an altitude training camp option, as well as warm/hot weather training camp to allow athletes to optimally acclimate and be ready to perform in Doha.”

Representing Canada on the World stage is not something that Canadian athletes take for granted. “It’s always an honour being able to represent Canada and not something that I take for granted. The energy is different at a World Championships, because you know this is the cream of the crop. You’re literally going up against the best the world has to offer with no country or age restrictions,” said Brown. “We all recognize the magnitude of competition at this level and want to use this platform to prove ourselves.”

“Besides the Olympic Games this is the biggest competition we have in track and field. It is a privilege to be on any Canadian Team, but especially the big ones,” added Wodak. “It is incredible to wear the Team Canada uniform. I am so proud to represent Canada, the best country in the world, and feel very grateful to wear the red and white.”

Team Canada at the 2019 IAAF World Championships:

Athletes
Name Event(s) Hometown Personal Coach Club
Kelsie Ahbe* Women's pole vault Toronto, Ont. Jim Bemiler Unattached
Mohammed Ahmed* Men's 5000m, 10,000m St. Catharine's, Ont. Jerry Schumacher NIKE Bowerman Track Club
Marco Arop Men's 800m Edmonton, Alta. Ron Thompson Voleo Athletics
Maria Bernard* Women's 3000m steeplechase Calgary, Alta. Mike Van Tighem University of Calgary Athletics Club
Mathieu Bilodeau* Men's 50km race walk Canmore, Alta. David Gagnon Unattached
Jerome Blake Men's 4x100m relay Vancouver, B.C. Tara Self Coquitlam Cheetahs Track and Field Club
Bismark Boateng Men's 4x100m relay Toronto, Ont. Charles Allen Unattached
Aaron Brown* Men's 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay Toronto, Ont. Dennis Mitchell Phoenix Athletics
Alicia Brown Women's 4x400m relay / Mixed 4x400m relay Ottawa, Ont. Bob Westman University of Toronto Track Club
Lindsey Butterworth* Women's 800m North Vancouver, B.C. Brit Townsend Coastal Track Club
Rachel Cliff* Women's 5000m Vancouver, B.C. Richard Lee Mile2Marathon
Austin Cole Mixed 4x400m relay Sherwood Park, Alta. Rob Fisher Capital City Track Club
Brittany Crew* Women's shot put Toronto, Ont. Richard Parkinson SISU Throws Club
Gabriela DeBues-Stafford* Women's 1500m Toronto, Ont. Andy Young University of Toronto Track Club
Berhanu Degefa Men's marathon Toronto, Ont. Paul Poce Toronto Olympic Club
Andre De Grasse Men's 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay Markham, Ont. Rana Reider Speed Academy Athletics Club
Evan Dunfee* Men's 20km race walk, 50km race walk Richmond, B.C. Gerald Dragomir Race Walk West
Crystal Emmanuel* Women's 100m, 200m Toronto, Ont. Charles Allen Flying Angels Track & Field Academy
John Gay Men's 3000m steeplechase Vancouver, B.C. Chris Johnson Vancouver Thunderbirds
Phylicia George* Women's 100m hurdles Markham, Ont. Darryl Woodson Flying Angels Track & Field Academy
Liz Gleadle* Women's javelin Vancouver, B.C. Laurier Primeau Vancouver Thunderbirds Track and Field Club
Sasha Gollish Women's marathon Toronto, Ont. Michael Sherar University of Toronto Track Club
Matthew Hughes* Men's 3000m steeplechase Oshawa, Ont. Dave Reid Unattached
Justyn Knight* Men's 5000m Toronto, Ont. Chris Fox Reebok Boston Track Club
Geneviève Lalonde* Women's 3000m steeplechase Moncton, N.B. Dave Scott-Thomas Speed River Track and Field Club
Pierce LePage Men's decathlon Whitby, Ont. Gregory Portnoy Unattached
Django Lovett Men's high jump Surrey, B.C. Zbigniew Szelagowicz Kajaks Track and Field Club
John Mason Men's marathon Drumbo, Ont. Dave Scott-Thomas Speed River Track and Field
Michael Mason* Men's high jump Nanoose Bay, B.C. Jeff Huntoon Nanaimo Track and Field Club
Brandon McBride* Men's 800m Windsor, Ont. Kurt Downes Border City Athletics Club
Sarah Mitton Women's shot put Brooklyn, N.S. Richard Parkinson SISU Throws Club
Carline Muir* Women's 4x400m relay / Mixed 4x400m relay Toronto, Ont. Jack Borlee Unattached
Melanie Myrand Women's marathon Saint Geneviève, Que. John Lofranco Athlétisme Ville-Marie
Tim Nedow* Men's shot put Brockville, Ont. Darrin Reesal Ottawa Lions Track & Field Club
Alysha Newman* Women's pole vault Delaware, Ont. Doug Wood Bolton Pole Vault
Jessica O'Connell* Women's 5000m Calgary, Alta. Mike Van Tighem University of Calgary Athletics Club
Philip Osei Men's 400m, Mixed 4x400m relay Toronto, Ont. Jason Kerr Unattached
Madeline Price Women's 400m, 4x400m relay / Mixed 4x400m relay Toronto, Ont. Mark Mueller Unattached
Brendon Rodney* Men's 200m, 4x100m relay Etobicoke, Ont. Maurice Wilson Unattached
Rachel Seaman Women's 20km race walk Peterborough, Ont. Tim Seaman Peterborough Legion Track Club
Andrea Seccafien* Women's 5000m Guelph, Ont. Nic Bideau Monarch Athletics Club
Ryan Smeeton Men's 3000m steeplechase Calgary, Alta. Dave Smith Unattached
Gavin Smellie* Men's 4x100m relay Brampton, Ont. Milt Ottey Flying Angels Track & Field Academy
Maya Stephens Women's 4x400m relay / Mixed 4x400m relay Toronto, Ont. Aliann Pompey Unattached
Aiyanna Stiverne* Women's 400m, 4x400m relay / Mixed 4x400m relay Laval, Que. Ronald Morency Unattached
Katherine-Jessica Surin Women's 4x400m relay / Mixed 4x400m relay Montreal, Que. Nicolas Harel Corsaire-Chaparal
Lyndsay Tessier Women's marathon Toronto, Ont. Steve Boyd Physi-KULT
Graeme Thompson Mixed 4x400m relay Guelph, Ont. Jason Kerr Speed River Track and Field Club
Damian Warner* Men's decathlon London, Ont. Gar Leyshon Unattached
Sage Watson* Women's 400m hurdles, 4x400m relay / Mixed 4x400m relay Medicine Hat, Alta. Fred Harvey Unattached
Natasha Wodak* Women's 10,000m North Vancouver, B.C. Lynn Kanuka Prairie Inn Harriers
Regan Yee Women's 3000m steeplechase South Hazelton, B.C. Mark Bomba Langley Mustangs Track and Field Club
Staff
Name Role Hometown    
Glenroy Gilbert Team Head Coach Ottawa, Ont.    
Simon Nathan Team Leader Ottawa, Ont.    
Jessica Scarlato Team Manager Richmond Hill, Ont.    
Nicole Clarke Assistant Team Manager Kingston, Ont.    
Charles Allen Team Coach Toronto, Ont.    
Kurt Downes Team Coach Windsor, Ont.    
Gerry Dragomir Team Coach Vancouver, B.C.    
Geoff Harris Team Coach Halifax, N.S.    
Heather Hennigar Team Coach Victoria, B.C.    
Jeff Huntoon Team Coach Toronto, Ont.    
Richard Parkinson Team Coach Stouffville, Ont.    
Larry Steinke Team Coach Lethbridge, Alta.    
Doug Wood Team Coach London, Ont.    
Trent Stellingwerff Team IST Lead and Physiologist Victoria, B.C.    
Andrea Stephen Team Physiotherapist Toronto, Ont.    
Marilou Lamy Team Physiotherapist North Vancouver, B.C.    
Dave Zelibka Team Physiotherapist London, Ont.    
Paddy McCluskey Team Physician Victoria, B.C.    
Danielle Chow-Leong Team Massage Therapist Toronto, Ont.    
Garfield Crooks Team Massage Therapist Vancouver, B.C.    
Dr. Simon Pearson Team Chiropractor Victoria, B.C.    
Dr. Duane Smith Team Chiropractor Ottawa, Ont.    
Dana Way Team Biomechanist Winnipeg Beach, Man.    
Dr. Penny Werthner Team Mental Performance Calgary, Alta.    
Caroline Sharp Team Media Attaché Ottawa, Ont.

*Represented Canada at the 2017 IAAF World Championships

 Important links:

For more information, please contact:
Amanda Nigh
Manager, Communications and Marketing
amanda.nigh@athletics.ca

Caroline Sharp
Media Attaché, Team Canada – IAAF World Championships
caroline.sharp@athletics.ca

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