2023 Canadian Track & Field Championships: Full schedule and how to watch
Your guide on how to watch the 2023 Canadian Track and Field Championships that serves as trials for the World Athletics Championships from 27-30 July.
Athletics
Andre De Grasse may not be in his best shape yet, but the focus this week will still be on the six-time Olympic medallist as he makes a return to the Canadian track and field championships.
The Olympic champion, who missed last year's event due to Covid, will race in front of his home fans for the time since taking the 200m Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020.
He is the star attraction at the four-day championships starting Thursday 27 July at the McLeod Athletics Park in Langley, which also serves as trials for the World Championships set for Budapest.
De Grasse will be one of Canada’s stars on parade, alongside Aaron Brown, Olympic decathlon gold medallist Damian Warner.
Here’s what you need to know.
Athletes and must-watch events at the 2023 Canadian Championships
Canada’s most decorated summer Olympian hasn’t raced since developing ‘right groin tightness,’ after his sixth-place finish behind South Africa’s Akani Simbine at the Diamond League race in Lausanne.
The discomfort forced him to pull out of the Bauhaus-Galan in Stockholm out of precaution. He’s been back training and is expected to book a spot for Budapest in either the 100m or 200m, and the 4x100m relay team.
The 28-year-old hasn’t achieved a sub-10 this season, and his fastest of the year remains the 10.21 from Florida in April. His 200m season best of 20.33 was at the Oslo Diamond League. But his new coach, Irishman John Coghlan, whom he began working with last November, isn’t concerned that the sprinter has not hit his ‘peak shape’ yet.
"He's surprised people a few times … when they thought he wasn't setting the world [on fire] and then shows up at the right time. You think he's a bit off the pace and then shows up in Tokyo and runs 19.6,” Coghlan said in an interview of his athlete who won the 200m gold at the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021.
"He has such an incredible ability to turn on [his performance]. He's got a winner's mentality. I think people see his phenomenal physical ability, but I think his mental ability to perform is outstanding."
Another sprinter to keep an eye on at the Trials is Aaron Brown.
The relay world champion from Eugene, who also reached the finals of the men’s dash, was fifth in the 100m at the seven stop of the Diamond League in Stockholm and has achieved four podium finishes in six starts over the 200m this season.
The world bronze medallist Marco Arop should compete in his speciality race, the men's 800m.
He’s coming off a third place in the same event at the Diamond League in Monaco ahead of his third World Championships.
Another man who should also be in the spotlight in Langley is the reigning Olympic gold medallist Damian Warner.
He will compete in a couple of events at the Canadian event as part of his build-up for the worlds.
The Tokyo Olympics star, who pulled out of last year's worlds with a hamstring injury, is aiming for his world gold after three past podium finishes.
Olympic 5,000-metre silver medallist Mohammed Ahmed, who was named in Canada’s provisional team for the world championships in February, will skip the Trials.
He’s attained qualifying standards for both the 5000m and 10,000m and is expected to run both events in Budapest.
How to watch the 2023 Canadian Track & Field Championships
The Canadian Track & Field Championships will be streamed live on AthleticsCanada.TV.
Schedule for the 2023 Canadian Track & Field Championships
27-30 July 2023- selected track events schedule (All timings in Pacific standard time, UTC/GMT -7)
Track day 1- 27 July
9:55 400m men qualifying
10:55 100m men qualifying
11:35 100m women qualifying
16:35 800m men qualifying
17:05 800m women qualifying
20:50 5000m men final
21:10 5000m women final
Track day 2 – 28 July
16:00 400m men semi-final
16:15 400m women semi-final
16:50 100m men semi-final
17:03 100m women semi-final
18:15 800m men semi-final
18:30 women semi-final
19:45 100m men final
19:50 100m women final
Track day 3- 29 July
16:05 200m men qualifying
16:50 200m women qualifying
20:16 400m men final
20:21 400m women final
20:26 800m men final
20:34 800m women final
Track day 4- 30 July
10:38 200m men semi-final
10:53 200m women semi-final
12:41 200m men final
12:48 200m women final