Posted: June 14, 2005

Athletics: Woodske breaks national record again

June 12, 2005 Ottawa - Derek Woodske of Creston, BC did it again, improving on his three week old national hammer throw record with a throw of toss of 73.79 metres. The mark adds 84 centimeters to the record Woodske set late last month. Competing in two meets this weekend, Woodske broke the record at the Jerry England Open in Bloomington, Indiana. During the course of the two meets, Woodske surpassed the 73m barrier four times including out-distancing the 70m mark on eight of his 10 legal attempts.

At the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, California, Megan Metcalfe of Edmonton, AB was the only Canadian crowned NCAA champion this weekend. Metcalfe took the 5000m title with a time of 16:31.88 in a tactical race. Other Canadians picking up medals in California included Whitby, ON’s Priscilla Lopes who finished 0.02 seconds behind Virginia Powell with a time of 12.82 in the 100m hurdles. In the men’s javelin, Windsor, ON native Trevor Snyder recorded a new personal best of 76.03m to win his first NCAA medal. In the relays, national junior 100m record holder Richard Adu-Bobie of Ottawa ran leadoff for the University of Florida as they sped to a second place finish in a time of 38.54. In the women's 4 x100m relay, Toyin Olopuna of Orillia, ON anchored her Tennessee team to a third place finish in a time of 43.18 to go along with her 11.41 clocking in the open 100 which was good enough fifth place.

The Meeting Lille Metropole in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France featured three Canadians in action Sunday. Racing in the men's 800m, Montreal's Achraf Tadili ran 1:46.12 to finish fourth as France's Mehdi Baala won the race in 1:44.74. In the women's 800m, Diane Cummins of Victoria also crossed the line in fourth; stopping the clock in 2:01.62 as French woman Elisabeth Grouselle clocked 2:00.72 for first. In the field, Kitchener, ON native Dana Ellis continued her superb season clearing 4.40m, well enough for third. Vanessa Boslak of France won the competition with her 4.56m clearance.

Jason Tunks of London, ON competed in two events this past weekend. In Vilnius, Lithuania on Thursday, Tunks took part in Alekna’s World Discus Challenge put on by two times Olympic Champion Virgilius Alekna. Tunks managed a 62.77m effort for a seventh place finish in the star-studded field. Following up on Saturday in Leiden, Netherlands at the 34e Gouden Spike, Tunks outdistanced the competition with his throw 66.59m for the win. The effort was a new season’s best for Tunks.

Competing in Monterrey, Mexico, Alice Falilye of Toronto leapt 6.40m to finish fifth in the women's long jump. Meanwhile, Nicole Forrester, also of Cookstown, ON, cleared 1.80m to take seventh in the high jump.