Weekend Roundup: Damian Warner returns for a record-breaking performance
Canada’s track and field stars ran to the podium and the record books this weekend. Catch up on what they accomplished, and updates from the French Open, IIHF Worlds, a Tokyo qualification, and more!
Double podium for Warner and Lepage 💪
READ: Damian Warner wins Hypo Meeting with Canadian record
Did you see someone jumping (flying) during a long-jump event over the weekend? That viral video is Canada’s Damian Warner, who had quite the weekend. In his first decathlon event in two years, Warner set a Canadian record, a personal best, earned his sixth Hypo Meeting title and had a total of 8,995 points, the fourth-ever highest score that’s ever been recorded.
He also set a world and Canadian best in the long jump portion, reaching 8.28 metres to surpass American Ashton Eaton’s distance of 8.23. Eaton, now retired, jumped 8.23 back in 2012.
Alongside Warner, Pierce LePage earned silver and a personal best with 8,534 points to conclude a successful weekend.
Sprinting to a Diamond League double podium 👟
READ: Double podium in Doha for De Grasse and Brown
On Friday, Andre De Grasse and Aaron Brown finished second and third, respectively, on the 200m podium at the Diamond League event in Doha, Qatar. This is their second straight 200m double podium. At the season opener in Gateshead, they also crossed the finish line in second and third.
Also competing in Doha was reigning Olympic high jump champion Derek Drouin. This was his first Diamond League competition in nearly four years.
Gabriela DeBues Stafford races to Canadian history 📚
At the Portland Track Festival Gabriela DeBues Stafford celebrated a personal best time of 1:58.70s in the 800m. She is the first Canadian woman to break all three-time Olympic barriers (2 minutes in 800m, 4 minutes in 1500m, 15 minutes in 5000m).
Haley Daniels paddles to Tokyo qualification 🛶
READ: Tokyo 2020 Team Canada Qualification Tracker
With an exciting run, Haley Daniels has qualified for the women’s C1 slalom Olympic event after a race-off against fellow Canadian, Lois Betteridge. This will be the first time women’s C1 slalom will be debuted at the Olympic Games.
Fernandez breezes through Round 1 of the French Open 🎾
READ: Fernandez advances to the second round of the French Open
As the lone Canadian to open the Roland-Garros on Sunday, Laval’s Leylah Fernandez did not disappoint. The 18-year-old defeated Russia’s Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 6-1 to advance to the next round against American Madison Keys.
On Monday, Bianca Andreescu fell to Tamara Zidanšek 6-7 (1), 7-6 (2), 9-7, in a match that lasted three hours and 20 minutes. Félix Auger-Aliassime will hit the court on Tuesday against Andreas Seppi.
Three consecutive wins at IIHF Worlds 🙌
READ: Canada continues playoff push at IIHF Worlds with win over Italy
After a rough start at the IIHF World Championship, Team Canada is looking for a fourth straight win on Tuesday to make it into the playoffs in Latvia.
Canada Basketball announces training camp roster 👀
In just under a month, Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team will compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Victoria for a spot in Tokyo. See who will be participating in Canada Basketball’s training camp in Tampa Bay from June 16-24, before heading home to Canada ahead of the tournament.
