Posted: July 22, 2006

Athletics: Ottawa’s Oluseyi Smith in hunt for 100-metre title at Canadian junior track and field championships

Karelle Edwards - Junior Women's Long Jump Photo: Athletics Canada

July 21st 2006, SHERBROOKE, QC - World traveller Oluseyi Smith of Ottawa hasn’t given up hope to make Canada’s world junior team after qualifying second for Saturday’s final in the men’s 100-metre sprint at the 2006 Canadian Junior Track and Field Championships.

In the men’s 100-metre sprint semifinals, Canadian junior record holder Justyn Warner of Etobicoke qualified first for the final at 10.50 seconds with Smith second at 10.69 and Sam Effah of Calgary third at 10.72.

Smith studies communications at the University of Loughborough in Leicestershire, England while his parents reside in Rome. His father works for the United Nations and Smith attends school in Britain because it has the closest English-speaking university.

‘’I was running 10.4 in May and I’m trying to find that form again right now,’’ said Smith, 19, whose best event is the long jump. However he can’t compete in long jump this week due to a foot injury. ‘’My training got sidetracked by exams and now with the injury my only hope to get to the world juniors is in the 100.’’

In the women’s 100 semis, Kimberly Hyacinthe of St-Laurent, Que., clocked the fastest time at 11.98. Whitney Wellington of Vancouver was second at 12.01 and Flings Agyapong of Toronto third at 12.13.

In the women’s heptathlon, Brianne Theisen of Humboldt, Sask., posted a personal best in the shotput to stand first after four of seven events at 3,105 points. She placed first in the high jump and 200-metre dash.

‘’It ranked right up there among my best opening days but there were still a couple of events I could have done better,’’ said Theisen, 17, the Canada Games champion last year. ‘’I’ve focused most my season on this competition. I need to get 5,150 points to go to the world junior and I’m confident I can surpass that mark again.’’

Other leaders in men’s competition after qualifying are: Brian Barnett of Edmonton in the 400, Gabriel Tyler Fawcett of Ottawa in the 110 hurdles, Olivier Lavoie of Ste-Adele, Que., in the 1,500, Nathan Labbe in long jump, Justin Greif of Tisdale, Sask., in discus, Curtis Moss of Sudbury, Ont., in the javelin while in the high jump there’s a four-way tie for first after semis with David Berlinic of Saskatoon, Lucas Rodewald of Winnipeg, Paul Little of Vancouver and Brad Huey of Sarnia, Ont., all clearing 1.93 metres.

Other leaders for the women are Carline Muir of Etobicoke in the 400, Lindsay Carson of Kitchener, Ont., in the 1,500, Nikkita Holder of Oshawa, Ont., in the 100 hurdles, Gabrielle Duclos-Lasnier of Quebec City in pole vault, Karelle Edwards of Ottawa in the long jump, Neb Zachariah of Guelph, Ont., in the triple jump, Quebec’s Myriam Dumont-Breton in discus and there is also a four-way tie in the high jump with Emily Sheppard of Abbotsford, B.C., Brittney Hopley, Laura Maessen of Dartmouth, N.S., and Sarah Boyle of Toronto all clearing 1.67 metres.

Finals are scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday

Full results: Athletics Canada.

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