Bishop-Nriagu and Lalonde look to win national titles, bring more teammates on journey to Tokyo; Bingham and Emmanuel square off in 100-meter showdown, with Gleadle and Mitton trying to improve on throwing marks to strengthen global position and Stafford attempting to become third qualifer in 1,500

The following is a chronological breakdown of all men’s events at the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Track and Field Trials at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex in Montreal, Quebec

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Women’s Javelin Throw

Schedule: June 25

Olympic standard: 209-11 (64.00m)

Entries with the Olympic standard: None

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: None

2016 qualifier: Elizabeth Gleadle

Analysis: Despite not yet achieving the Olympic standard, Elizabeth Gleadle isn’t too concerned about her position in the World Rankings, with only 15 athletes achieving the automatic qualifying mark out of 32 entries allowed to throw in Tokyo. Gleadle, the national record holder from 2015 with her 212-8 (64.83m) performance, won the Canadian title in 2019 with a 208-foot effort (63.40m) and went on to throw 209-2 (63.77m) in Croatia before participating in the World Championships in Doha, Qatar. The opportunity to capture another national title and get more throws in before Tokyo will be beneficial for Gleadle, whether she achieves the Olympic standard or not.

Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles

Schedule: June 25

Olympic standard: 55.40

Entries with the Olympic standard: None

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: Sage Watson

2016 qualifiers: Chanice Chase-Taylor, Noelle Montcalm, Sage Watson

Analysis: With Sage Watson continuing to train in Arizona, already assured of her place on the Canadian roster, Noelle Montcalm will try to also secure another Olympic berth with her performance in Montreal. Montcalm has produced consecutive 56.47 efforts in her past two races, and will hopefully benefit from the presence of Kelsey Balkwill, who also has the potential to qualify, having run 56.34 in 2018. Montcalm hasn’t run sub-56 since 2017, but if she can accomplish that goal, it would improve her chances of being selected based on her position in the World Rankings.

Women’s 400 Meters

Schedule: June 25

Olympic standard: 51.35

Entries with the Olympic standard: None

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: Kyra Constantine, Natassha McDonald

2016 qualifiers: Alicia Brown, Kendra Clarke, Carline Muir

Analysis: With each race this season, Alicia Brown has continued to improve, clocking 52.44 on June 16 in Guelph in her final tuneup for the championship meet. With Aiyanna-Brigitte Stiverne and Madeline Price both not competing, Brown can at the very least improve her opportunities to be selected for the 4x400 relay pool, a lineup that is expected to include USC’s Kyra Constantine, Alabama’s Natassha McDonald and Nike professional athlete Sage Watson. Brown’s last sub-52 performance came at the 2016 Canadian nationals, when she finished second to Carline Muir by a 51.79 to 51.84 margin, and she’ll be hoping for similar competition from Zoe Sherar and Micha Powell. Paralympic entry Amanda Rummery is also part of the field.

Women’s 100-Meter Dash

Schedule: June 25

Olympic standard: 11.15

Entries with the Olympic standard: None

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: None

2016 qualifiers: Khamica Bingham, Crystal Emmanuel

Analysis: Canada could go from no automatic qualifiers to Tokyo to two in one race, as Khamica Bingham and Crystal Emmanuel are both right on the cusp of the Olympic standard. The past three performances for Emmanuel on Canadian soil have been wind-aided, including an 11.10 effort June 16 in Guelph. Bingham gained a big confidence boost June 5 with her wind-legal 11.16 performance in Florida, her fastest time since 2015. Both athletes are capable of returning to the Olympics, but they will not only need to bring out the best in one another, but also hope the wind cooperates to assure themselves legal races. Leya Buchanan, a former Oklahoma standout, hasn’t run under 11:20 since 2018, but also add depth to the race if she is in top form. Marissa Papaconstantinou is the lone Paralympic entry scheduled to compete.

Women’s Triple Jump

Schedule: June 25

Olympic standard: 46-11.75 (14.32m)

Entries with the Olympic standard: None

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: None

2016 qualifiers: None

Analysis: There is no margin for error for Caroline Ehrhardt. Either the No. 4 all-time Canadian competitor achieves the Olympic standard, which would be an improvement on her lifetime best of more than 20 inches, or she won’t be able to compete in Tokyo, since all 32 automatic qualifying positions have been filled and thus not allowing her to earn a berth based on her position in the World Rankings. Her best mark this year came in April with a wind-aided 45-1 (13.74m) at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in California, the closest she has come to her wind-legal personal-best of 45-1.75 (13.76m) from 2019.

Women’s 800 Meters

Schedule: June 25

Olympic standard: 1:59.50

Entries with the Olympic standard: Melissa Bishop-Nriagu

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: None

2016 qualifier: Melissa Bishop-Nriagu

Analysis: With her status for Tokyo secure, the presence of Melissa Bishop-Nriagu in the race can hopefully propel Madeleine Kelly or Lindsey Butterworth to give her some company on the Canadian roster. Kelly has run 2:00.11 this year and Butterworth boasts a personal-best 2:00.31 from 2019, but with Bishop-Nriagu – who set the national record of 1:57.01 in 2017 – making it an honest race, then even a sub-2 performance from either Kelly or Butterworth would significantly increase their potential of qualifying for the Olympics, with only half of the 48 automatic berths accounted for thus far. With seven entries having run under 2:02, this is one of the most anticipated events of the three-day championship meet.

Women’s Shot Put

Schedule: June 25

Olympic standard: 60-8.50 (18.50m)

Entries with the Olympic standard: Sarah Mitton

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: Brittany Crew

2016 qualifiers: Brittany Crew, Taryn Suttie

Analysis: Highlighted by a personal-best 61-11.75 (18.89m) on May 14 in California, Sarah Mitton has surpassed the 18-meter mark in all but one competition this season. She will be chasing after the national record of 63-3.25 (19.28m) achieved by Brittany Crew, not only in Montreal, but Tokyo as well. Without the presence of Crew, Mitton is the favorite to capture the national title after placing second in 2019. Charlotte Bolton, a Paralympic competitor, is also scheduled to participate.

Women’s 3,000-Meter Steeplechase

Schedule: June 25

Olympic standard: 9:30.00

Entries with the Olympic standard: Genevieve Lalonde

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: None

2016 qualifiers: Maria Bernard-Galea, Genevieve Lalonde, Erin Teschuk

Analysis: There is never a lack of quality depth for Canada in this event, but whether there will be more than just Genevieve Lalonde representing her country in Tokyo remains to be seen. Regan Yee and Alycia Butterworth are both right on the edge of the World Rankings cutoff to qualify, and should benefit from Lalonde’s presence in the race. Yee ran a personal-best 9:31.07 on June 12 at Harry Jerome, with Butterworth right behind in 9:31.27, demonstrating both are fit enough to achieve the Olympic standard. Maria Bernard-Galea, who competed in the 2019 World Championships, could also be a factor having run 9:36.12 two years ago in her pursuit to return to the Olympics.

Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles

Schedule: June 26

Olympic standard: 12.84

Entries with the Olympic standard: None

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: None

2016 qualifiers: Phylicia George, Nikkita Holder, Angela Whyte

Analysis: For as well represented as Canada was in this event in Rio de Janeiro with three athletes competing, there is a significant possibility that the country might not have any participation in Tokyo. Phylicia George was the last Canadian athlete to run sub-13 in 2019, clocking 12.90. But she hasn’t run under 13.40 this year and isn’t scheduled to compete at the championship meet. The greatest potential for an Olympic qualifier comes from Michelle Harrison, who ran 13.11 on June 12 at the Johnny Loaring Classic, followed by a pair of wind-aided efforts of 13.05 and 13.03 in Guelph. Christie Moerman will also be in contention, along with Farah Jacques and Mariam Abdul-Rashid.

Women’s 200 Meters

Schedule: June 26

Olympic standard: 22.80

Entries with the Olympic standard: Crystal Emmanuel

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: None

2016 qualifier: Crystal Emmanuel

Analysis: Although she is still in search of the Olympic standard in the 100-meter dash, Crystal Emmanuel was able to secure this qualifying mark in 2019, when she ran 22.65 at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar. Emmanuel is motivated to win both titles in Montreal, and her presence could serve as motivation for UCLA’s Catherine Leger and Oklahoma graduate Leya Buchanan to run sub-23 and improve their prospects for being selected to race in Tokyo based on their positions in the World Rankings. Marissa Papaconstantinou is the lone Paralympic athlete expected to participate.

Women’s Hammer Throw

Schedule: June 26

Olympic standard: 237-10 (72.50m)

Entries with the Olympic standard: None

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: Camryn Rogers

2016 qualifier: Heather Steacy

Analysis: The country is still buzzing over the performance of Cal’s Camryn Rogers, who set the collegiate record and elevated to No. 4 in the world this year with her 247-9 (75.52m) performance June 10 at the NCAA Division 1 Championships in Oregon, making her a legitimate medal contender in Tokyo. Jordana Badley-Castello is the only female athlete expected to throw in Montreal, looking to improve on her personal-best 205-4 (62.59m) from April.

Women’s Long Jump

Schedule: June 26

Olympic standard: 22-4.50 (6.82m)

Entries with the Olympic standard: None

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: None

2016 qualifier: Christabel Nettey

Analysis: The last athlete currently on the cutoff line in the World Rankings is Christabel Nettey, but she is not scheduled to compete in Montreal, instead relying on her 21-10 (6.65m) from June 13 at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in California to allow her to return to the Olympics. Baileh Simms, who switched her eligibility from the United States to Canada in 2019, boasts a wind-legal personal-best 21-4 (6.50m) from 2018. She has jumped a wind-legal 20-10.50 (6.36m) this year and is the favorite to capture the national title in Nettey’s absence.

Women’s Discus Throw

Schedule: June 27

Olympic standard: 208-4 (63.50m)

Entries with the Olympic standard: None

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: None

2016 qualifiers: None

Analysis: A competitive showdown involving Agnes Esser, Trinity Tutti and Rachel Andres is expected, although it isn’t likely that any of the athletes challenge the Olympic standard, meaning Canada won’t be represented in the event in Tokyo. Esser boasts a personal-best 193-3 (58.92m) from 2019, Andres achieved a lifetime-best 192-10 (58.78m) in April and Tutti won the Johnny Loaring Classic on June 12 with the best mark of her career at 192-9 (58.77m). Jennifer Brown and Charlotte Bolton are Paralympic athletes also expected to throw.

Women’s 1,500 Meters

Schedule: June 27

Olympic standard: 4:04.20

Entries with the Olympic standard: None

Athletes not competing with the Olympic standard: Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, Natalia Hawthorn

2016 qualifiers: Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, Nicole Sifuentes, Hilary Stellingwerff

Analysis: The potential is there for both Lucia Stafford and Mariah Kelly to achieve the Olympic standard, but with Gabriela DeBues-Stafford and Natalia Hawthorn both having already put themselves in position to compete in Tokyo, the showdown is essentially to determine the third athlete in the event on the Canadian roster. Lucia Stafford is in a favorable position to qualify following her 4:05.30 effort May 9 at the USATF Golden Games and Distance Open at Mt. San Antonio College in California. Kelly ran a personal-best 4:09.05 on May 15 at the Sound Running Track Meet in Irvine, Calif., but will need another significant improvement to deny Stafford her first Olympic berth at age 22. Arkansas’ Kennedy Thomson, who has run 2:05.37 in the 800 and 4:12.38, is a darkhorse and could play the role of spoiler. Keegan Gaunt is a Paralympic competitor scheduled to race as well.