(Montreal) After securing her ticket to Paris in the 100 metres on Friday, Gatineau’s Audrey Leduc took another step towards the double by winning her heat of qualifications in the 200 m on Sunday, the last day of the Canadian Track and Field Trials.
Leduc clocked 23 seconds, 28 hundredths (23.28) to win his heat. Her qualification is only a formality, she who already has the Olympic standard in her pocket and is at 15e world ranking in the distance rankings for the Paris Olympic Games.
Ottawa’s Jacqueline Madogo, still chasing the Olympic standard of 22.58, posted the best time of this qualifying session, in 23.10. The reigning Canadian champion is at 51e world ranking. The 48 best performances will have access to the Olympic Games.
Zoe Sherar (23.33) and Lauren Gale (23.57) are the two other Canadian hopefuls over the distance.
Leduc, seventh in 2023, set the Canadian mark of 22.36 last May. She is also the fastest in history in the country over 100m, in 10.96.
In the men’s race, James Blake led the qualifying round with a time of 20.56, ahead of Aaron Brown (20.58) and Brandon Rodney (20.66). Defending Canadian champion Andre De Grasse, who won the 100m on Friday, skipped the distance.
Blake plays big during this final day at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex, since he is the only one in the top 4 Canadian for not having achieved the Olympic standard of 20.16. He is currently at 58e world ranking. As with the women, only 48 athletes will be selected.
As the limit is set at three representatives per nation, Blake would however have to record a better time than Rodney’s best time, 20.14. A heavy order.
Later on Sunday, the 1500m finals will be contested. Simone Plourde and Charles Philibert-Thiboutot will be there. If Philibert-Thiboutot is guaranteed to be in Paris, Plourde must have a good race, she who occupies 40e place in the ranking. The top 45 world performances will be admitted.