Canadian Operating and Underneath Armour have teamed up for the 2024 Canadian U Sports activities indoor observe and discipline season to focus on a number of the high homegrown skills throughout the nation. Every week main as much as the 2024 U Sports activities Indoor Monitor and Area Championships in Winnipeg this March, Canadian Operating will choose one female and male observe and discipline athlete to be the Underneath Armour Athlete of the Week.
The athlete of the week will likely be a female and male observe and discipline athlete who achieved a standout efficiency, broke a faculty file or crushed a private finest. Every week of the U-Sports activities 2024 season these athletes will likely be featured on Canadian Operating and awarded an Underneath Armour prize pack. Center-distance runner Avery Pearson of the College of Saskatchewan and distance runner Jude Wheeler-Dee of Queen’s College have been chosen because the Underneath Armour U Sports activities Athletes of the Week for his or her performances between Jan. 15-21.
Feminine Athlete of the Week: Avery Pearson–girls’s 600m
On the College of Alberta Golden Bear Open on Jan. 20, the third-year middle-distance runner for the College of Saskatchewan Huskies opened her season with a win within the girls’s 600m. Pearson’s time of 1:30.25 set a brand new meet file, shattering the earlier mark from 2017 by two-tenths of a second, and her efficiency additionally certified her for the 2024 U Sports activities Indoor Monitor and Area Championships.
“I’m actually proud of my efficiency,” says Pearson on her new private finest. “Going into the race, I used to be simply targeted on getting a qualifying time for U Sports activities. So to have the ability to try this and run a meet file, it was a pleasant bonus.”
Pearson advised Canadian Operating that her aim for the 2024 U Sports activities season is to contend for a medal on the Canada West Convention championships and at U Sports activities. She can also be wanting to compete within the girls’s 800m on the Bell Canadian Monitor and Area Olympic Trials in June. “The thrill of an Olympic 12 months is driving me to proceed to work onerous for the out of doors season,” says Pearson.
Male Athlete of the Week: Jude Wheeler-Dee–males’s 1,500m
Wheeler-Dee has earned high honours for the week by breaking a 13-year meet file within the males’s 1,500m on the UOttawa Winter Traditional on Jan. 20. Wheeler clocked a formidable 3:48.31, surpassing the earlier file of three:50.55 by greater than two seconds. Wheeler-Dee is having a robust third 12 months with the observe and discipline and cross-country program at Queen’s, serving to the Gaels males win U Sports activities XC bronze in November 2023.
Reflecting on his race, Wheeler-Dee says he’s pleased to be exhibiting his health this early within the U Sports activities indoor season. “I’m coming off base health, so to have the ability to run a very good time and really feel robust—it was good.” He shared with Canadian Operating that his aim for the 2024 U Sports activities season is to benefit from the course of. “We solely have 4 to 5 years to compete at this college degree, so I’m continually reminding myself to take all of it in,” says Wheeler-Dee.
The third-year chemistry main has not finalized his plans for the 2024 season and acknowledges that a lot continues to be unsure. Nonetheless, he intends to proceed working a bunch of observe races.
Julia Agostinelli and David Adeleye named Underneath Armour U Sports activities Athletes of the Week
If you need to appoint a Canadian U Sports activities athlete for Underneath Armour Athlete of the Week, ship @canadianrunning a message on Instagram or electronic mail marley@runningmagazine.ca.
