Mo Ahmed, Gabriela DeBues-Stafford win 5,000-metre races at track and field trials
Canadian distance runner Mohammed Ahmed, centre, competes with Jean-Simon Desgagnes, left and Thomas Fafard, right, in the 5000m at the Canadian Track and Field Olympic trials in Montreal, Thursday, June 27, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
MONTREAL — Mo Ahmed won the men's 5,000-metre race and Gabriela DeBues-Stafford finished first in the women's 5K competition Thursday night at the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic track and field trials.
Ahmed, a four-time Olympian from St. Catharines, Ont., finished in 13 minutes 10.99 seconds at Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard.
It was the fastest 5K time by a Canadian athlete on home soil, Athletics Canada said. Ahmed set the national record of 12:47.20 in Portland, Ore., in July 2020.
DeBues-Stafford, a native of London, Ont., was victorious in 15:33.50.
Vancouver's Ceili McCabe finished first in the women's 3,000-metre steeplechase final (9:32.97) to secure a spot at the Summer Games next month in Paris. Quebec City native Jean-Simon Desgagnes won the men's competition in 8:34.56.
Vancouver's Liz Gleadle took the women's javelin with a throw of 59.52 metres. Maxime Leveille of Shefford, Que., took the top spot in the men's pole vault at 5.10 metres.
On Friday night, several of Canada's top athletes will take the track.
Six-time Olympic medallist Andre De Grasse of Markham, Ont., headlines the men's 100-metre field while local favourite Audrey Leduc of Gatineau, Que., highlights the women's event. The men's final will be the last competition of the day.
Reigning Olympic champion decathlete Damian Warner of London, Ont., will compete in the men's 400 semifinal, one of his three events at trials this week. World champion Marco Arop of Edmonton begins defence of his Canadian title in the 800 semifinal.
In field competition, world silver medallist Sarah Mitton of Brooklyn, N.S., goes for gold in shot put.
The day will also feature finals in women's pole vault, men's high jump and men's discus.
The trials continue through Sunday. The Paris Games begin July 26.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2024.
The Canadian Press