Rio 2016: How Canada’s track athletes celebrated qualifying for Rio
Athletics Canada named its largest Olympic team ever recently – and a few of the Rio 2016 hopefuls were more than excited.
Here are some of their responses to officially being named to Team Canada from the runners, jumpers, throwers and walkers Canadians will be cheering on at the Olympic Stadium in Rio.
Khamica Bingham
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Khamica Bingham celebrated qualifying for Rio 2016 in 4x100m relay. After winning bronze in the event at TO2015, she and her teammates are ready to take Rio by storm.
Damian Warner
Damian Warner is headed to his second Games after placing fifth at London 2012 in the decathlon. Warner had a fantastic 2015 season, winning gold at TO2015 and silver at the IAAF world championships. In 2016, Warner took home the decathlon title at the Hypo meet with 8523 points.
Liz Gleadle
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Liz Gleadle is headed to her second Games, after topping the podium in javelin at Olympic trials. She won Pan Am javelin gold last year in Toronto. Gleadle has since then reset the Canadian record.
Kimberly Hyacinthe
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Kimberly Hyacinthe will represent Canada at her first Olympic Games this summer. The Team Canada sprinter will be competing in the 200m and 4x100m relay.
Shawn Barber
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World champion Shawn Barber celebrated with his pole vault teammates Alysha Newman, Annika Newell and Kelsie Ahbe. All four will be first-time Olympians in Rio. Barber not only beat the world last year, he also reached the six-metre mark in his discipline, a rarity in pole vault.
Olympic Trials: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
Jessica O’Connell
Jessica O’Connell will also make her Olympic debut in Rio when she steps on the track for the 5000m after clinching that spot at Athletics Canada trials.
Evan Dunfee
Evan Dunfee will tackle the race walk double in Rio, competing in both the 20km and 50km events. After making his first international appearance in 2007, the Pan Am 20km race walk champ is ready to make his Olympic debut.
Andrea Seccafien
After sitting the 2015 season out due to an injury, Andrea Seccafien overhauled her training and became Canada’s top 5000m runner at Olympic Trials.
Melissa Bishop
Melissa Bishop made her first Olympic team at London 2012, however it’s her 2015 world silver medal and penchant for breaking the national record, which makes her one to watch at Rio 2016.
Lucas Bruchet
Long-distance runner Lucas Bruchet is excited to make his Olympic debut, after qualifying for Rio in the 5000m with teammate and national record holder Mohammed Ahmed, who won the race and will be heading to his second Games.
Sage Watson
Sage Watson will be making her Olympic debut in Rio in the 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay. Watson previously won bronze during TO2015 with Canada’s 4x400m relay team and is hoping to repeat that success in Brazil.
