Saint John Hosts Track And Field Championships

For the first time in nearly 40 years, the Atlantic University Sport track and field championships are being held outside of Moncton.

The University of New Brunswick is welcoming around 300 athletes to Saint John for the two-day event this weekend.

The competition is taking place at the new Irving Oil Field House, which opened its doors in the fall of 2019.

Chris Belof, head coach of the UNB Reds, said even though the facility is new, his athletes are well prepared.

“Our Saint John athletes train there all the time and are very familiar and very comfortable there, our Fredericton athletes come out on weekends and use it on a fairly regular basis, and then we’ve hosted numerous competitions throughout the season,” said Belof.

The field house boasts a six-lane 200-metre oval track, an eight-lane 60-metre sprint track with a 30-metre run-off area, a jump pit with a 40-metre runway, a pole vault pit with a 40-metre runway, and a throwing area with a full safety cage.

TF: The 2020 @SubwayAtlantic @AUS_SUA Track & Field Championships are officially underway at the @iolfieldhouse in @VisitSaintJohn.@SJTrackClub @UNBTrack @AcadiaAthletics @DalTigers @gocapersgo @MUNathletics @StFXAthletics @aiglesbleus @TommiesSTU @SMUHuskies @UPEIPanthers pic.twitter.com/VXcZqpqNAP

— UNB Reds (@UNBAthletics) February 21, 2020

Belof said the winners from this weekend’s competition, which includes 17 women’s and 17 men’s events, will go to the U SPORTS nationals in Edmonton in March.

“There’s also an auto standard that you can achieve nationally, which is a very difficult standard but some of our athletes have already achieved it. Then there’s the ability to be ranked top 12 at the end of this weekend in the country,” he said.

Victoria LeBlanc has already achieved the auto standard and Jarod Manuel is ranked in the top 12 in weight throw and shot put, he said.

Belof said the new facility has turned up the heat on the sport of track and field in the region. In addition to the AUS championship this weekend, it will host the 2021 U SPORTS nationals from March 11 to 13, 2021.

“We’ve seen a lot of growth in the Saint John track and field club,” he said.

“Having this indoor facility will help keep New Brunswick track and field athletes in the province for university and hopefully help UNB recruit athletes from outside of the province.”

The competition began at noon Friday and will continue through Saturday afternoon.