Anieu Chan of Windsor, Ont., is perhaps a reputation you’ll hear rather more of in Canadian monitor and discipline within the coming years. The 15-year-old middle-distance monitor star smashed two U16 provincial data on the SWOSSA (South Western Ontario Secondary Colleges Athletic Affiliation) championship on Might 23 in Chatham, Ont.
Chan gained the 400 metres in 56.86 seconds, breaking the earlier file of 57.59 set in 1998 (earlier than Chan was born). Her second file got here within the 800 metres, the place her time of two:07.34 broke the Ontario provincial mark of two:08.04 set by Kailee Sawyer of Laurel Creek Observe & Area Membership in 2012 (pending ratification). She gained the 800m Novice women’ race at SWOSSA by a margin of 23 seconds.
With Chan successful SWOSSA, she robotically qualifies for the 2024 Ontario highschool monitor and discipline championships (OFSAA) at Western Alumni Stadium in London, Ont., from June 6-8, the place she can be a favorite to win the 400m and 800m occasions.
Her time would have gained the Grade 9 boys 800m race and certified her for OFSAA in each the novice boys 400m and 800m occasions.
Final fall, Chan gained an OFSAA XC crew title with Vincent Massey Secondary Faculty. She ran up two divisions, competing in opposition to Grade 11 and Grade 12 women two to 3 years older. She nonetheless positioned twenty fourth total, serving to her crew win crew gold. She by no means supposed to compete in opposition to the older age group, however was promoted to the senior women’ crew resulting from an absence of runners to type a novice women’ crew at Vincent Massey.
To place Chan’s time in perspective, she is working the identical occasions at 15 because the reigning Olympic 800m champion, Athing Mu, when she was the identical age (2:07.18). The way forward for Canadian center distance appears vivid, as Chan may very well be an athlete to look at on the L.A. Olympics in 2028.