LONDON, Ont., - The 2009-10 track and field season will be one to remember for the Western Mustangs.
On Dec. 5, Western dominated at the Season Opener with 25 medals from the women and 17 from the men. Cara Marcantonio (Welland, ON) set a meet record in the weight throw (15.50m). Teammate and rookie, Lydia Foley (Smiths Falls), took home the gold in shot put in her first meet with a distance of 11.75m. Another rookie, Jesse Francis in his first meet also took home the gold in the men’s weight throw.
The season opener held at Thompson Arena was only the start.
At the Can-Am meet held Jan. 16 and 17, veterans Jen Cotten (Barrie, ON) and Andrew Judge (London, ON) dominated the arena. At the second meet of the season, Cotten qualified for three CIS events, where Judge made the CIS distance in the triple jump. After this meet, both the men and women’s teams respectively were ranked fourth.
At the last home meet of the season, The Don Wright Invitational, Cotten set herself another CIS time placing her first in the CIS. Jumping an outstanding 6.09m in the long jump, Cotten broke her own personal best as well as the arena record.
School records were set this season by three of Western’s athletes. At the McGill meet, Scott Leitch (London, ON)moved up to third place in the CIS in the 600m with a time of 1:18.91 setting a new school record. Also at this meet, Kyle O'Neill (Vienna, ON) earned the number two spot on Western’s all time list in the 3000m ranking him second in the CIS. He later beat his own record at Notre Dame beating the last record set in 1974 in the 3000m. Cotten also made the all time list in second place for the pentathlon.
Judge broke the school record in the triple jump, leap 15.01m on his final jump at the CIS Nationals in Windsor to earn CIS silver. The previous record 14.97m.
OUA and CIS Championships held yet more successes for the Western track and field team. OUA’s held at York University produced a bronze for the men and silver for women CIS Championships held in Windsor Ontario resulted in double team bronze medals for both the men and women track and field teams.
Fifth year captain, Jen Cotten has had quite the season. At this year’s OUA Championships she was named the most valuable female performer from her performances in the pentathlon and long jump which landed her first in the CIS. Cotten has also been awarded athlete of the year in field events by the CIS as well as the Dr. Wendy Jerome Trophy. At nationals, Cotten set her third consecutive CIS pentathlon gold in five years.
