British Columbia Athletes Shine at 2024 Canadian Cross Country Championships
The 2024 Canadian Cross Country Championships, held at Fanshawe Golf Course in London, Ontario, saw British Columbia's runners deliver exceptional performances across various age groups and divisions. The event, which took place from November 30 to December 1, featured more than 1,300 athletes braving snowy and blustery conditions to compete for national titles. BC athletes not only stood out among their peers but also brought home several podium finishes.
U16 Success
In the U16 Boys division, Isaiah Johnston of the Vancouver Thunderbirds clinched a bronze medal with a strong time of 13:14.0 over the 4km course. On the girls' side, Amelia-Ahn Lou from Okanagan Athletics matched Johnston's success, also taking third place with a time of 14:55.6. Sasha Dehal, the reigning Junior Girls BCSS XC Provincial Champion, placed fifth in 15:09.9, rounding out an impressive showing for BC in this age group.
Dominance in U18
The U18 division was highlighted by Alexa Dow, the AAA Senior Girls BCSS Provincial Champion, who secured the national title in the Girls 6km race with a commanding time of 21:44.3, finishing 14 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. Fellow BC athlete Adrianna Buitelaar, the AA Senior Girls BCSS Provincial Champion, finished fourth (22:12.6), while Vancouver Thunderbird Chloe Symon placed 10th in 22:45.7.
For the U18 Boys, Arjun Sandhu narrowly missed out on gold, claiming silver with a time of 18:57.4, just two seconds shy of first place. Peter Kunka, the Senior Boys AA BCSS Provincial Champion, achieved a top-five finish, placing fifth in 19:16.2.
U20 Excellence
BC's Yemane Mulugeta, a standout athlete and USPORTS Rookie of the Year, dominated the U20 Men's 8km race, taking gold with a time of 24:42.2-14 seconds ahead of his competitors. His teammates, Peter Neill and Charlie Mlotshwa, also secured top-10 finishes, placing seventh (25:31.8) and eighth (25:38.2), respectively.
Senior National Titles for BC Athletes
BC runners claimed victories in both senior 10km races. Representing the Vancouver Thunderbirds, Andrew Davies won the Men's Senior 10km in a thrilling finish with a time of 30:38.3, edging out his closest rival by just four seconds. On the women's side, teammate Leslie Sexton dominated the Senior Women's 10km, crossing the line in 36:33.3, 12 seconds ahead of the runner-up.