The Western Mustangs made history at the 2024 OUA Track & Field Championships, sweeping gold for the first time ever.
Mustang men captured their first provincial title since the 1997-98 season, while the women won their first OUA banner since 2002-03, at the event held at Windsor, Ont. Feb. 24 to 25.
“Both teams scored points in every event, which is how OUA championships these days need to be won,” said Mustangs head coach Vickie Croley.
“We had a few athletes overcoming illness or injury or competing at this level for the first time. They brought positive energy to the team. This also helped us come away with the double victory.”
On Feb. 24, the opening day of competition, the Mustangs picked up four gold medals including third-year BA student Liv Sands (shot put); third-year BSc student Kenneth West (men’s long jump); women’s 4×800 metre relay and third-year nursing student Natalie Thirsk (ambulatory 60 metres and 300 metres). The Mustangs added four silvers and six bronzes.
After the opening day the Mustangs sat second in both the men’s and women’s team standings.
Day two of the event was a showcase for the Mustangs on both sides, with 17 medals won including six gold medals. Fourth-year engineering student Favour Okpali set an OUA record in the women’s 600 metres, with a time of 1:29.19. That was followed up with fifth-year kinesiology student Vivian Ogor taking the top spot on the podium in the women’s 60 metres. The other track-based gold came from the men’s 4×200 metre relay team. On the field side, Kenneth West and fourth-year kinesiology student Chloe Knox each won gold in the triple jump and then third-year engineering student Quinn Cameron won gold in the heptathlon.
“The women were exceptional throughout the two days right from the start of the pentathlon to the last event, the 4x400 metres,” said Croley. “It really was a close competition between Guelph and us for the whole meet and not until prior to the last event did we know we were going to take the team gold.”
The Mustangs picked up seven silver and four bronze medals on day two.
“We knew it would be a tight race on the men’s side with Guelph,” said Croley. “With 4×200 metre and 4×400 metre relays, triple jump, pole vault and high jump all happening within the span of two hours our eyes were on them to see how things would play out.”
Western swept the coaching awards as Croley was named Bob Vigars Coach of the Year for men’s track and field and Sue Wise Women’s Coach of the Year for women’s track and field.
“The awards belong to our incredible staff who work directly with our student-athletes, from assistant coaches, medical staff, team managers to department administrators,” said Croley.
The Mustangs will now look towards the 2024 U SPORTS Track & Field Championship set for March 7 to 9 in Winnipeg, Man.
