Posted: June 9, 2006

Athletics: Canada wins Pacific World Cup at Harry Jerome meet with 11 victories in 17 events

BURNABY, B.C. - World championship medallist Tyler Christopher of Edmonton and Olympian Diane Cummins of Victoria helped Canada win the Pacific World Cup by a surprisingly large margin over China on Thursday at the annual Harry Jerome track and field competition.

Canadians earned 11 victories in 17 events to win the dual meet over China 96-75. It marks the first time Canada has competed in an official international dual meet since 1988, and the competition was considered an important competitive opportunity for both countries as Beijing prepares to play host to the 2006 world junior track and field championships in August, and the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.

In the 400 metres, Christopher won the gold medal clocking a solid 45.30 seconds under wet and cold conditions to finish ahead of Adam Kunkel of Paisley, Ont., second in 46.60 and Wang Xiaoxu of China in third in 46.81.

Christopher said he hoped to go under 45 seconds and approach his Canadian record of 44.44 but the conditions put a damper on those objectives. He was pleased with his performance which also earned him $4,000 in prize money.

In the women’s 800, Cummins placed first in 2:04.23 to edge Lui Qing of China in second at 2:04.60 while Aimee Teteris of Vancouver was third in 2:05.57.

Olympic finalist Angela Whyte of Edmonton won the women’s 100-metre hurdles in 13.18 seconds ahead of two Chinese runners while Achraf Tadili of Victoria coasted to victory in the men’s 800 in 1:46.87 more than a second ahead of two Chinese pursuers.

The women’s 1,500 was another featured contest and Megan Metcalfe Edmonton took the gold in 4:13.22 with Malindi Elmore of Kelowna, B.C., second in 4:14.50. Xing Huina, the Olympic 10,000 metre champion and the biggest name on the 34-member Chinese team, was fourth.

Adrienne Power of Halifax also had a big day finishing second to Sheena Johnson, among a few Americans entered, in the women’s 400 and anchoring Canada to victory in the women’s 4X100 relay.

Neville Wright of Edmonton and Erica Broomfield of Toronto took the men’s and women’s 100-metre dashes respectively; Adrienne Vangool of Saskatoon won the women’s pole vault, Ryan McKenzie of Windsor, Ont., was the men’s 1,500 winner while Canada won both 4X100 relays and China both 4X400’s.

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