StFX runners well represented at upcoming Canada Games

A significant number of X-Men and X-Women track and field athletes will be representing their various provinces at the upcoming 2013 Canada Games in Sherbrooke, Que. Four X-Women and six X-Men from each of the four Atlantic provinces will be competing at the national games, scheduled for August 2-17.

The Canada Games is the largest multi-sport competition for young Canadian athletes and is held every two years (alternating between winter and summer games), in a different province or territory. This year in Sherbrooke, over 4200 athletes will come to compete in 20 disciplines at 20 different venues during the 16 days of competition.

All of the Athletics events are scheduled for week two. Teammates at StFX will be pitted against each other as they compete and represent their various provinces.

Competing for Nova Scotia will be third year sprinter Eilish MacQuarrie from Antigonish, NS. The 2013 AUS champion in the 300m, MacQuarrie will be representing Nova Scotia in the 200m, 400m and sprint relays at the Games. While competing for the X-Women this past winter, MacQuarrie also earned AUS gold as part of the 4x400m relay team, silver in the 4x200m relay and bronze in the 600m.
 
Another decorated AUS athlete, Mackenzie Munroe, from Yarmouth, NS, will be competing in the men's 4x400m relay race in Sherbrooke. Munroe recently wrapped up his first year of eligibility with the X-Men and was a triple gold medalist at the 2013 AUS championship, taking home top honors in the 300m, 600m and 4x400m relay, as well as silver in the 4x200m relay.

Rounding out the StFX contingent on the Nova Scotia squad is experienced distance runner Bryden Tate from Heatherton. The third year X-Man will compete in the 5000m. Tate has had a busy summer circuit competing in various road races and was the individual winner of the Halifax Blue Nose 10k race earlier this spring. He was a member of the AUS champion 4x400m relay team and the AUS champion men's cross country team at X this past season.

Competing against Tate in the 5000m event will be his former teammate, recent StFX graduate and running standout Connor McGuire. The Summerside, PEI native will be representing Canada's smallest province at the upcoming Games, and should prove to be a top contender. The two-time consecutive AUS individual cross country champion and 2013 AUS track and field gold medalist in the 1500m, 3000m and 4x800m relay was honored as the StFX male student-athlete of the year this past April.

Also representing Prince Edward Island is X-Men recruit Alex Cyr. Alex will also be competing in the 5000m event and will be joining the StFX squad in September.

Competing for New Brunswick in Sherbrooke are Lynette Manual (Oromocto), Bridget Brennan (Beechwood) and Lee Wesselius (Salisbury). Manual is heading into her third year of eligibility with both the X-Women cross country and track teams and will be competing in the 5000m event.
 
Brennan, also a third year X-Woman, will represent New Brunswick in the 100m dash, the long jump and the sprint relays. While at StFX this past season, she won an AUS gold medal with the 4x400m relay team and silver in the 4x200m. Wesselius was a key member of the AUS champion X-Men cross country team in only his first season with the team. He will be competing in the 3000m steeple event in Quebec.

Rounding out the StFX representation at the Games and the final Atlantic province of Newfoundland is Melissa Hardy (Deer Lake) and Will Forsey (Kippens). A recent StFX graduate who will be returning for her third year of eligibility, Hardy will be competing in the women's 3000m event. She completed a very successful year with the blue and white as a key member of the AUS champion X-Women cross country team and also took home two gold medals (1500m and 3000m) and one silver medal (4x800m relay) at the 2013 AUS championship.

Forsey was a member of the AUS men's cross country championship team and competed in several events at the AUS track and field championship this past spring. He will be representing Newfoundland in the 1500m race in Sherbrooke this August, returning to X in the fall for his third season.

For the complete schedule of Canada Games track and field events and to follow the results of the X-Men and X-Women athletes, visit:  http://www.jeuxducanada2013.ca/en/sport/athletics/.