Posted: August 1, 2007

Athletics: Canada finalizes World Championships team

Wednesday, August 01, 2007 OTTAWA – Athletics Canada announced today the team which will compete at the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Osaka, Japan August 25 to September 2.  The team will head to Singapore on August 11 for a two week training and preparation camp.  Arrival in Osaka will take place in three waves – August 20, 22, and 24.  The travel dates were determined following a comprehensive study of the World Championships schedule, Osaka training venues and logistics. “The World Championships are the final step in preparation and evaluation of our team on the road to Beijing,” said Head Coach Les Gramantik.  Gramantik is anticipating strong performances in Japan on the heels of excellent results at the Pan American Games last week in Rio; “They (Worlds) are the premier event of our sport and I am looking forward to see our athletes execute in Osaka.”  Tyler Christopher won the 400 metres bronze medal at the last (2005) World Championships.  Perdita Felicien was the world champion in the women’s hurdles in 2003.  13 members of the team recently won medals at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.  Dylan Armstrong, Diane Cummins, Adam Kunkel, Jim Steacy and Jessica Zelinka all won gold.  The men’s 4x100m relay team (Adu-Bobie, Connaughton, Henry, Barnett), Tyler Christopher, Perdita Felicien and Nicole Forrester won silver while Angela Whyte won bronze. Name   Event Hometown Club Coach Richard Adu-Bobie 4x100m Ottawa, ON Ottawa Lions Glenroy Gilbert Dylan Armstrong Shot put Kamloops, BC Kamloops Track and Field A. Bondarchuk Simon Bairu 10000m Regina, SK Queen City Striders Jerry Schumacher Brian Barnett 200m, 4x100m Edmonton, AB Capital City Quin Sekulich Tim Berrett 50km RW Edmonton, AB Leduc Track and Field John Fitzgerald Tyler Christopher 400m Edmonton, AB Legacy Athletics Kevin Tyler Jared Connaughton 4x100m New Haven, PEI Eastern Stride Athletics C.MacAdam Diane Cummins 800m Victoria, BC Pacific Athletics Brent Fougner Carmen Douma-Hussar 1500m Cambridge, ON New Balance Marcus O’Sullivan Malindi Elmore 1500m Calgary, AB University of Calgary Mike Van Tighem Perdita Felicien 100mH Pickering, ON Over the Top Gary Winkler Nicole Forrester High jump Aurora, ON Mississauga Track and Field James Henry Anson Henry 4x100m Pickering, ON Mississauga Track and Field Dan Pfaff Shannon King 4x100m Brampton, ON York University Desai Williams Adam Kunkel 400mH Paisely, ON Legacy Athletics Kevin Tyler Lioudmila Kortchaguina Marathon Thornhill, ON Independent Ilia Kounavine Priscilla Lopes 100mH Whitby, ON Independent Anthony McCleary Jared MacLoed 110mH Winnipeg, MB Winnipeg Optimist Cliff Rovelto Chantal Petitclerc 1500m T54 Montréal, QC Independent Peter Eriksson Gary Reed 800m Kamloops, BC Pacific Athletics Wynn Gmitroski Diane Roy 1500m T54 Hatley, QC Optimum Jean Laroche Scott Russell Javelin Windsor, ON Windsor Legion Doug Reynolds Jim Steacy Hammer throw Lethbridge, AB Chinook Track and Field Larry Steinke Hilary Stellingwerff 1500m Guelph, ON Speed River D. Scott-Thomas Kevin Sullivan 1500m Brantford, ON Windsor Legion Juli Henner Achraf Tadili 800m Laval, QC McGill Olympique Brent Fougner Angela Whyte 100mH Edmonton, AB Independent Wayne Phipps Neville Wright 4x100m Edmonton, AB Edmonton International Quin Sekulich Jessica Zelinka* Heptathlon London, ON Independent Les Gramantik   Team Staff         Les Gramantik Head Coach Calgary, AB     Derek Evely Event Coach Edmonton, AB     Brent Fougner Event Coach Victoria, BC     Glenroy Gilbert Event Coach Ottawa, ON     Rick Reelie Event Coach Saskatoon, SK     Martin Goulet Team Leader Brossard, QC     Sylvia Forgrave Team Manager Kitchener, ON     Scott MacDonald Technical Manager Nepean, ON     Jean-Guy Ouellette Head of Delegation Sherbrooke, QC     Joanne Mortimore Chief Executive Officer Ottawa, ON     Mathieu Gentès Media Attaché Ottawa, ON     Dr. Alan Vernec Physician Montréal, QC     Julie Gardiner Physiotherapist Montréal, QC     Garfield Crooks Massage therapist Brampton, ON     Alvin Bodnarchuk Massage therapist Saskatoon, SK     Wilbour Kelsick Chiropractor Port Moody, BC     *Injured, will not participate Jessica Zelinka will not be able to participate in Osaka having suffered a ruptured plantar tendon during the 800 metres of the seven-discipline event in Rio.  The injury requires 4 to 8 weeks to heal.  Zelinka battled through the pain and still managed to finish the race, capturing gold in the heptathlon. Chantal Petitclerc and Diane Roy qualified for the team with their performances at the Boiling Point Track Classic and International Paralympic Committee World Trials on July 7. They will both compete in the women’s 1500 metres wheelchair demonstration event.  Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest