Athletics Canada announces 2011 award winners
Dylan Armstrong takes 2011 Award
OTTAWA – Athletics Canada announced today its 2011 annual award winners with Dylan Armstrong of Kamloops, B.C., getting the nod in three categories. Armstrong was chosen as overall athlete of the year, as most outstanding athlete in field events, and, as winner of the outstanding performance of the year. The winners are chosen by Athletics Canada’s Awards Committee from the nominee pool put forward by the athletics community. The award recipients will be honoured at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Trials in Calgary, Alta., which take place June 27-30.
Dylan Armstrong caps off his brilliant season by winning three Athletics Canada awards. Dylan is the winner of the Jack W. Davies Trophy (overall athlete of the year), the F.N.A. Rowell Trophy (outstanding athlete of the year in field events), and the Cal D. Bricker Memorial Trophy (outstanding performance of the year). The shot putter consistently threw over 21-metres all season, won silver at the World Championships which was Canada’s first ever medal in throwing events at a World Championship. He also won Pan American Games gold, setting a new Games record along the way. Add to the list of accomplishments a title in the Diamond League and a new Canadian record of 22.21-metres which stood as the best throw of the season worldwide and you have arguably one of the best seasons by a Canadian athletics athlete in history.
Waterdown, Ont.’s Christian Brennan is the recipient of both the Phil A. Edwards Memorial Trophy for the outstanding athlete of the year in track events and the Myrtle Cook Trophy for the outstanding youth athlete of the year. Brennan represented Canada in fine fashion on two occasions this season; at the World Youth Championships and Pan American Games. Her breakout season was highlighted by two Canadian youth records, two silvers at the World Youth Championships in the 200-metres and 400-metres and she was also a member of the medley relay team who set a new Canadian youth record and won bronze. She won bronze at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in the 400-metres and double gold at the Royal Canadian Legion Youth Championships.
Four-time 2011 Canadian Champion Reid Coolsaet of Hamilton, Ont., is the winner of the Fred Begley Memorial Trophy for outstanding athlete of the year in off-track events. On top of being crowned Canadian champion in the 5000-metres and 10 000-metres at the Canadian Track and Field Championships, Coolsaet finished first at both the 10km road race and half-marathon Canadian Championships. Reid also ran a personal best and Olympic A standard time of 2:10:55 at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
Jessica Zelinka of Calgary, Alta., is the winner of the Combined Events Athlete of the Year. Jessica finished ninth overall in the grueling two day heptathlon at the World Championships. Her score of 6268 points stands as Canada’s best ever finish in the seven discipline event at the World Championships.
Helen Crofts of West Vancouver, B.C., is the 2011 recipient of the Fred Tees Memorial Trophy as the outstanding athlete enrolled in a Canadian university. Helen captured gold in the 800-metres at the Canadian Championships and was a finalist at Summer Universiade (FISU). Crofts, who attends Simon Fraser University, dominated throughout the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) season.
The Eric E. Coy Trophy in 2011 recognizes two very deserving recipients, Caroline Ehrhardt of Espanola, Ont., and Annie LeBlanc of Repentigny, Que., are co-recipients of the outstanding junior athlete of the year. Caroline won bronze in the long jump and triple jump at the Pan American Junior Championships. Ehrhardt also won gold in both events at the Canadian Junior Championships, won gold at the Canadian Senior Championship in the triple jump. Annie earned honours at the Pan American Junior Championships by winning silver in the 800-metres and silver as a member of the 4×400-metres relay. LeBlanc also won gold at the Canadian Junior Championships in the 800-metres.
The Outstanding Para-Athlete of the Year in Ambulatory Events is Ottawa, Ont’s., Jason Dunkerley and guide runner Joshua Karanja. Jason won gold in the T11 classification 800-metres at the IPC World Championships and capped his season off with silver and bronze medals at the Parapan American Games in the 1500 and 500-metres respectively.
Michelle Stillwell of Nanoose Bay, B.C., is the Outstanding Para-Athlete of the Year in Wheelchair Events for the second year in a row. Stillwell brought home an impressive four medals, 3 gold and a silver, from the IPC World Championships. She also captured gold at the US Paralympic Championships in the 200-metres in a World Record time of 35.22 seconds.
Dr. Anatoliy Bondarchuk of Kamloops, B.C., is the recipient of Athletics Canada’s Coach of the Year Award. Dr. Bondarchuk’s athletes all enjoyed outstanding seasons, notably the three under his tutelage who were competed at the World Championship and / or at the Pan American Games.
Dylan Armstrong – Shot Put
• World Championship Silver
• 1st in the Diamond League
• Pan American Games Gold and Games Record
• Canadian Record
Sultana Frizell – Hammer Throw
• Pan American Games Silver
Crystal Smith – Hammer Throw
• Pan American Games finalist
• New personal best
