Athletics: Windsor And Saskatchewan Win CIS Track & Field Titles

Ryan McKenzie, Windsor Lancers, Track & Field

(Windsor, ON) - It was a double repeat at 2004 CIS Track and Field Championships held at the University of Windsor's St. Denis Centre as the University of Windsor Lancers and the University of Saskatchewan won the men's and women's national championships, respectively.

The Lancers finished the athletic year in style as the only CIS team ever to win two national championships in the same academic year. They won the men's cross-country title earlier this year in Moncton, N.B.

Four-time CIS Track Athlete of the Year Ryan McKenzie broke the CIS all-time record for track and field medals early with his win in the 600m. The record was held by former Windsor Lancer O'Brian Gibbons at 15. McKenzie finished the weekend with four gold medals in 600m, the 1000m, the 1500m and the 4x400m. He is the only competitor to have done the quadruple gold, as he also performed the feat in Sherbrooke in 2002 as well.

Another record fell as the University of Lethbridge's Chris Meisner broke a 22-year-old mark in the men's shot put with a toss of 18.46m His teammate Jim Steacy, last night's weight throw champion, was second.

In the women's triple jump, it came down to the last jumps. Windsor's Kim Brathwaite won the gold medal with a final jump of 12.31m to finish ahead of Western's Alana Boudreau, who had 12.29m as her best. Defending champion Jann Shreve from the University of Windsor finished third.

In the men's 60m final, Ibrahim Méité of Sherbrooke won the gold medal in 6.75 seconds. He helped Sherbrooke finish second overall in the men's portion.

Ryan McKenzie won his fourth consecutive Athlete of the Meet award, while Calgary's Jessica Zelinka picked up the women's equivalent for the second time in two years.

Windsor's Dennis Fairall and Saskatchewan's Lyle Sanderson won the Coach of the Year Awards for the men's and women's team, respectively.