Crew Canada athletes didn’t come to Paris 2024 to idiot round. In monitor and discipline, 5 younger sprinters particularly stood out, bringing nothing however their A-game as they made their first-ever look on the Video games. Though medals had been out of attain this time round (the medals earned in athletics had been gained by veterans), the performances of those younger Canadians caught the eye of followers across the globe and making it clear that they might be returning, higher than ever, for extra.
Audrey Leduc (100m, 200m, 4x100m)
The 25-year-old Quebec native capped off her breakthrough season in Paris, the place she competed in three completely different occasions and broke two nationwide data throughout her large Olympic debut. Already holding the Canadian report within the 100m and 200m occasions, Leduc sprinted to a brand new private better of 10.95 seconds within the first spherical of the ladies’s 100m, setting a brand new nationwide report and qualifying for the semi-finals.
She additionally moved on to the semis within the girls’s 200m, and anchored the 4x100m relay crew to a brand new sixth-place end within the last–after they ran a Canadian report time of 42.50 within the semi-final.
Audrey Leduc sprints to 100m nationwide report in Olympic debut
Jacqueline Madogo (100m, 200m, 4x100m)
After an unconventional transition from the game of soccer to trace at 19, Madogo’s first look on the Olympic Video games was a hit. It’s unusual to realize a private greatest as soon as at any main championships, not to mention twice–however the 24-year-old Ottawa native made it look straightforward. After falling wanting reaching the 100m last, Madogo shifted her focus to the 200m, working a private greatest of twenty-two.78 within the first spherical, and one other private greatest of twenty-two.58 within the repechage spherical–which simply certified her for the semi-final, the place she positioned twentieth.
Just like Leduc, Madogo’s third and last occasion was the 4x100m relay, the place she additionally contributed to the crew’s new nationwide report.
Christopher Morales Williams (400m)
Vaughan, Ont.’s Morales Williams capped off a near-perfect season with an outstanding Olympic debut. He took an automatic-qualifying spot within the first spherical of the boys’s 400m, taking second in his warmth in 44.96. Within the semi-final, he took eighth in his warmth, and whereas he had greater objectives of constructing it into the ultimate, the 20-year-old nonetheless ran away with twenty first on the planet. Realizing that he was one of many youngest within the occasion and nonetheless has loads of expertise to achieve, Morales Williams is able to put up a good greater struggle subsequent time he’s on the world stage.
After signing a six-figure contact with Adidas, Morales Williams will probably be competing as an expert sprinter in upcoming seasons (as an alternative of competing within the NCAA) whereas he finishes his diploma in ecology on the College of Georgia.
Savannah Sutherland (400m hurdles)
21-year-old Savannah Sutherland impressed the world by taking seventh within the quickest 400m hurdles race in historical past on Thursday’s last in Paris. The Borden, Ont. native ran 53.80 and 53.88 within the semi-finals and finals simply two days aside, each not far off her Canadian report time of 53.26. She adopted this efficiency by displaying up as a part of the ladies’s 4x400m relay crew, working the second leg in a jaw-dropping break up of fifty.06. The Canadian girls took sixth place within the last–lower than a second from breaking the nationwide report.
Sutherland will probably be returning for her fourth 12 months on the College of Michigan this fall to finish her pre-med diploma and her last years of eligibility competing within the NCAA.
Mariam Abdul-Rashid (100m hurdles)
Abdul-Rashid superior to the semi-final of the 110m hurdles after securing one of many prime three spots in her first spherical warmth. A formidable effort from the 26-year-old earned her a shiny, new private better of 12.60, however didn’t advance her to the ultimate. It did, nonetheless, depart her extra decided than ever to indicate that her greatest is adequate to make an Olympic last. She’ll be returning subsequent 12 months to compete on the massive stage towards the deep discipline of rivals within the 110m hurdles–her fast time met the usual for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
Following their return from Paris, these athletes will probably be having fun with well-deserved downtime after a really lengthy season. Their coaching will ramp up within the fall in preparation for the 2025 season, the place each the indoor and outside World Championships are certain to be on their horizon.
