Posted: July 16, 2005

Athletics: Dana Ellis punches in ticket to worlds with Canadian record in pole vault

WINNIPEG-Dana Ellis of Kitchener, Ont., broke her Canadian record in the women’s pole vault on Friday to highlight opening day action at the Canadian track and field championships.

Ellis cleared 4.51 metres for the victory and bettered her previous national mark of 4.50 set this past May. Sue Kupper of Edmonton was second at 4.15 and Kelsie Hendry of Saskatoon third at 4.00. Ellis rubber stamped her ticket to Helsinki for the world championships in August.

“It feels great, I wanted to get another jump in at around 4.50,” said Ellis, sixth at the Athens Olympics. “I wanted to show that I’m consistent at that height which puts me in contention for a top-six finish at worlds. But I’d like to clear 4.60 by the worlds which would make me a medal contender.”

In the women’s 100-metre dash, Toyin Olupona of Mississauga, Ont., took the gold in 11.35 seconds.

“I hadn’t raced in a month so it was pretty good,” said Olupona, who equalled the A world championship qualifying standard in the preliminaries at 11.30. “I tried to focus a lot on my start and came out here to see where I stood at this point.”

Other winners in women’s competition included Marie Le Jour McDonagh of St-Laurent, Que., in discus, and Dominique Bilodeau of Sherbrooke, Que., in javelin.

Winners in men’s competition included Jim Steacy of Lethbridge, Alta., in the men’s hammer throw, Reid Coolsaet of Guelph, Ont., in the 5,000 and Maurice Ennis of Toronto in the long jump.

Competition continues through to Sunday. The nationals are one of the last chances for the athletes to secure a berth for the worlds.