DAY 1 (of 3) CIS championships: Surprises abound in opening day of competition

Courtesy: University of Sherbrooke sports information

SHERBROOKE, Que. (CIS) – The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins and the University of Regina Cougars sit atop the standings after the first day of competition at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) track and field championships in Sherbrooke, Que.

The Carabins lead the women's team standings with 16 points, while the U of R holds a three-point advantage on the men's side.

Official website (complete results): http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/trackfield

The Citadins were lead by their top recruit sprinter Kimberly Hyacinthe who finished an unbeaten season winning the gold in the 60m sprint in a time of 7.43 seconds. Noelle Montcalm of the University of Windsor earned the silver, while UQAM's Audrey Jean-Baptiste earned the bronze.

"I had an average start, but I was able to quickly make up for it," said Hyacinthe upon winning her first CIS gold medal. "Coming into the race I didn't know my competitors, but I always believed in my chances of winning the race."

Other highlights from the women's competition include:

The CIS field athlete of the year Taryn Suttie of the University of Saskatchewan upset the field by taking the gold medal in the women's weight throw. Suttie threw 19.55m, besting the 19.05m performance of gold medal favourite Heather Steacy of the University of Lethbridge. Annie Larose of the Université de Sherbrooke finished third at 17.61m.

Fifth year student-athlete Chelsea Valois of the University of Regina captured the pentathlon by 18 points over University of Calgary Dino Rachael McIntosh. Valois racked up 3778 points in the competition while McIntosh finished with 3760. Amanda Schneck of the Alberta Pandas completed the Canada West sweep of the podium earning the bronze with 3678 points.

"This is probably my best competition in my five year career at the U of R," commented Valois. " I am very happy to have persevered and held on to my score."

In the men's pentathlon rookie Stephen McPhee of the Alberta Golden Bears captured first place with a 3661-point performance. He edged out Regina's Jeremy Eckert who finished second with 3618 points while Patrick Arbour of the Ottawa Gee-Gees earned bronze with 3535 points.

"All of the athletes have their own specialties and mine was the long jump which helped me to the gold today," explained McPhee.

In other results:

Hometown favourite Ben Yousef Métié dashed down the track of the Univestrie Hall in a time of 6.61 seconds to capture gold in the men's 60m dash. York's Dontae Richards-Kowk finished second (6.76) while Windsor's Aaron Bowman rounded out the podium.

Three-time champion Sam Effah of the Calgary Dinos failed to qualify for the final in the 60m event finishing ninth in the competition.

"I am pleased to have won the gold medal but am a little disappointed that I didn't set a new CIS record in the event," said Métié, adding, "the best is yet to come."

The second day of competition gets under way with the qualification heats in the women's 60m hurdles on Friday at 1:30 pm ET.

TEAM STANDINGS: AFTER DAY 1 (of 3)

Women
1 Univ du Quebec a Montreal UQAM 16
2 University of Windsor WIN 15
3 University of Saskatchewan US 14
3 University of Calgary CAL 14
5 University of Regina UOFR 13
6 University of Alberta UA 11
7 Universite de Sherbrooke UDES 9
8 University of Lethbridge LETH 8
9 University of Ottawa UOTT 6
10 York University YU 5
11 University of Guelph GUE 3
12 University of Manitoba MAN 2
13 Universite de Montreal UDEM 1

Men
1 University of Regina UOFR 16
2 University of Windsor WIN 13
3 York University YU 12
3 University of Alberta UA 12
3 Universite de Sherbrooke UDES 12
6 University of Ottawa UOTT 7
7 Dalhousie University DAL 5
8 Université Laval ROUL 1

INDIVIDUAL MEDALLISTS: DAY 1

60m (F)
1 Hyacinthe, Kimberly UQAM 7.43
2 Montcalm, Noelle Windsor 7.61
3 Jean-Baptiste, Audrey UQAM 7.62

60m (M)
1 Meité, Ben Youssef Sherbrooke 6.61
2 Richards-Kwok, Dontae York University 6.76
3 Bowman, Aaron Windsor 6.81

Weight Throw (F):
1 Suttie, Taryn Saskatchewan 19.55m
2 Steacy, Heather Lethbridge 19.08m
3 Larose, Annie Sherbrooke 17.61m

Pentathlon (F):
1 Valois, Chelsea 3778 PTS
2 McIntosh, Rachael 3760 PTS
3 Schneck, Amanda 3678 PTS

Pentathlon (M):
1 McPhee, Stephen 3661 PTS
2 Eckert, Jeremy 3618 PTS
3 Arbour, Patrick 3535 PTS

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Friday, March 11

13:30 60m Hurdles (W) Heats
13:45 60m Hurdles (M) Heats
14:00 4x200m Relay (W) Heats
14:20 4x200m Relay (M) Heats
15:30 Weight Throw (M) Final
17:30 Long Jump (W) Final
18:00 Pole Vault (W) Final
18:05 High Jump (M) Final
18:15 60m Hurdles (M) Final
18:30 60m Hurdles (W) Final
18:40 300m (W) Heats
18:55 300m (M) Heats
19:10 1000m (W) Final
19:20 1000m (M) Final
19:30 3000m (W) Final
19:50 3000m (M) Final
20:00 Shot Put (W) Final
20:30 300m (W) Final
20:35 300m (M) Final
21:00 4x800m Relay (W) Final
21:10 Long Jump (M) Final
21:15 4x800m Relay (M) Final

Saturday, March 12

12:00 Triple Jump (W) Final
12:05 Shot Put (M) Final
13:00 Pole Vault (M) Final
13:30 600m (W) Final
13:45 600m (M) Final
13:55 High Jump (W) Final
14:00 4x200m Relay (W) Final
14:15 4x200m Relay (M) Final
14:45 1500m (W) Final
15:00 1500m (M) Final
15:10 Triple Jump (M) Final
16:10 4x400m Relay (W) Final
16:26 4x400m Relay (M) Final

-CIS-