The 2024 outdoor track and field season was momentous for the Waterloo Track Club, marking the clubs return to the competitive scene after a hiatus from 2016 to 2023. Founded in 2008 by Warriors coach Shane Ferth, the club resumed its mission to foster talent and provide opportunities for athletes to excel at the highest levels. This year, our athletes, coaches, and alumni displayed incredible performances across various competitions, showcasing the strength and depth of those continuing their training under our coaching staff throughout the outdoor season. 

Bell Canadian Track & Field Championships/Olympic Trials

The Bell Canadian Track & Field Championships and Olympic Trials in Montreal in late June were a season highlight, taking place ahead of the Athletics Ontario Championships due to the Olympic Games held in early August. We were proud to have a dozen athletes representing our club, and they returned with an impressive haul of five medals and eight top-10 finishes.

Notable performances included:

• Hannah Blair (Waterloo/Waterloo) (Alumni): Silver in the Heptathlon
• Celia Markovinovic (Puslinch/): Bronze in High Jump
• Oliver Grant (Alumni/Coach): Bronze in the 400m Hurdles, marking his second National medal in this even
• Men's 4x100m (Baranoski, Lorentz, Hehn, Onyemah) and 4x400m (Grant, Babcock, Lorentz, Hehn) teams both secured silver medals

Other commendable performances came from:

• Owen Babcock (Kitchener/) (Alumni): 7th in the 400m Hurdles
• Solomon Davidson (Orleans/Orleans) (Alumni/Coach): 9th in Men's High Jump
• Chloe Vincent (Waterloo/): 10th in the U20 1500m
• Hillary Clark (Elliot Lake/) (1500m) and Nathan Hehn (Alumni, 400m)  both excelled in their respective events, advancing to the semi-finals with strong performances finishing 17th overall

Canadian Track & Field League (CTFL)

Several of our Warriors athletes competed in the Canadian Track & Field League, culminating in the CTFL Final in Ottawa, the weekend following the Canadian Championships. The CTFL is relatively new with its mission being to enhance the track and field landscape in Canada by increasing fan engagement and supporting athletes financially through a team-based league format that promotes equal importance of all athletes' contributions, making the sport more accessible and encouraging the growth of personal brands.

Our athletes continued to shine with outstanding results

• Oliver Grant - Arctics (Alumni/Coach): 2nd in the 400m Hurdle
• Nathan Hehn - Arctics (Alumni): 3rd in the 400m 
• Paige Breedon (Barrie/) - Arctics: 4th in the 5000m
• Hannah Blair (Waterloo/Waterloo) - Arctics (Alumni): 5th in both the 100m Hurdles
• Hillary Clark (Elliot Lake/) - Huskies: 5th in the 1500m
• Owen Babcock (Kitchener/) - Huskies (Alumni): 5th in the 400mH
• Jacques Tiessen - Bears: 5th in the 1500
• Kate Bickle-Ferth - Bears (Alumni/Coach): 6th in the 400m Hurdle
• Immanuel Onyemah (Mississauga/Mississauga) - Arctics (Alumni): 7th in the 100m
• Chloe Vincent (Waterloo/) - Bears: 7th in the 1500m

Athletics Ontario Championships

The Athletics Ontario Championships saw several top-eight finishes for the Warriors, with several podium appearances:

• Celia Markovinovic (Puslinch/): 1st in High Jump and 3rd in Long Jump
• Chloe Vincent (Waterloo/): 3rd in the U20 1500m.
• Men's 4x400m (Gbenjo, Mather, Lemon, Hehn) claimed bronze

Additional top performances included:

• Oliver Grant (Alumni/Coach): 4th in the 400m Hurdles
• Hillary Clark (Elliot Lake/): 6th in the 1500m
• Nathan Hehn (Alumni: 7th in the 400m.
• Owen Babcock (Kitchener/) (Alumni): 8th in the 400m Hurdles
• Cameron Dean (Whitby/): 8th in the 5000m
• Men's 4x100m (Baranoski, Lemon, Hehn, Gbenjo) 6th

Notable 800m performances were recorded by Hannah Blair (Waterloo/Waterloo) (Alumni) (2:12.24), Nicole Schindler (Waterloo/) (2:15.01), and Alexander Mather (Pickering/) (1:59.14). Blair's success continued at the AO Combined Events Championships, where she defended her title to win gold. Blair then took her talents overseas, finishing 6th at Sweden's Sollentuna Combined Events Challenge.

Masters Competitions

We are thrilled to see so many alumni continuing their Warriors legacy across various competitions on the road, track & field, or in other sports altogether. This is a testament to the lasting impact of varsity sports on your lives as Warriors. We'd love to showcase more of our talented alumni and encourage you to share your accomplishments with us by sending an email to warriorstrackandfield@uwaterloo.ca.

Several of our alumni and coaching staff in the Waterloo region excelled this outdoor track season as Master's athletes. Some of the highlights from our Master's athletes include numerous first-place finishes at the AO Master's Championships, as well as Kate Bickle-Ferth & Shane Ferth who ranked well among their Master's age group (40-44 yrs). Shane Ferth is ranked 2nd nationally in the 200m, while Kate Bickle-Ferth broke Canadian Masters records in the 400m (59.22) and set a new record in the 400m Hurdles (1:05.00).

A Season to Remember

Overall, our athletes had an incredible outdoor season with numerous top-10 performances. Athletes competing for the Waterloo Track Club broke eight club records. The achievements of our athletes, coaches, and alumni this season are a testament to their hard work, dedication, and passion for the sport. The success from the outdoor season is sure to be used as a stepping stone for the '24 XC and '25 indoor track & field seasons. 

Congratulations to all our athletes, coaches, and support staff on an incredible outdoor season. Your achievements continue to inspire the entire Waterloo community and make us all proud to be Warriors!