OTTAWA -- With all meets completed in the International Association of Athletics Federations 2009 World Athletics Tour, 7 Canadians have qualified to compete in the 2-day World Athletics Final taking place this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Athletes earn points by competing in World Athletics Tour events throughout the season with the top 7 per event qualifying for the World Final (for races of 1500 metres and higher, 11 athletes qualify). At their discretion, the IAAF invites the 8th (and 12th) athletes to round out the fields.
7 Canadians make the cut:
- Shot putter Dylan Armstrong of Kamloops, BC is ranked 5th with an eye on improving last year's 7th place finish at the World Final. Armstrong finished fourth at the 2008 Olympic Games with a Canadian Record throw of 21.04 metres.
- Nathan Brannen of Cambridge, ON enters the final in 10th place in the 1500 metres. Brannen made it to the semi-finals at the 2009 World Championships.
- 2009 Canadian Champion Perdita Felicien of Pickering, ON has earned her spot in the 100 metre hurdles. This will be Felicien's fourth appearance at the World Athletics Final; her best finish was bronze in 2006. Felicien was a finalist at this year's World Championships.
- Sultana Frizell of Perth, ON is in the lineup for the hammer throw coming in with a 4th place ranking. This will be Frizell's first World Final appearance; she finished 10th at the recent World Championships.
- Silver medalist from the 2009 World Championships Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Whitby, ON will take the stage looking to capture the Canadian Record from Felicien. Last weekend Lopes-Schliep bettered he own personal best running 12.49 (the Canadian record stands at 12.46). In Tour standings Lopes Schliep is tied for first with World Championship gold medalist Brigitte Foster-Hylton of Jamaica.
- Megan Metcalfe of Edmonton, AB will be racing in the 3000 metres looking to put a slow start to the season behind her after fighting an Achilles injury.
- Victoria, BC's Gary Reed, ranked 4th, will line up in the 800 metres. Reed narrowly failed to qualify for the final at this year's World Championships after finishing 4th at the 2008 Olympic Games and is a Silver medalist from the 2007 World Championships.
For more information on the World Athletics Final visit: IAAF.org.
CBC will broadcast the 2009 World Athletics Final on CBCSports.ca and its National network telecast Saturday September 26 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm ET.
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