Canadian Working and Below Armour have teamed up for the 2024 Canadian U Sports activities cross-country season to spotlight among the high homegrown abilities throughout the nation. Every week, main as much as the 2024 U Sports activities Cross-Nation Championships in Kelowna, B.C., in November, Canadian Working will choose the highest athlete because the Below Armour Athlete of the Week.
The award will go to a U Sports activities cross-country athlete who achieved a standout efficiency at their meet. These athletes might be featured on Canadian Working and awarded an Below Armour prize pack that includes the brand new UA Infinite Professional path shoe. This week we spotlight Alberta Golden Bears athlete Ron MacLean for his efficiency on the Stewart Cup in Calgary on Saturday.
MacLean claimed the title on the Stewart Cup at Calgary’s West Confederation Park, clocking 23:10 to edge out the second-place finisher by lower than two seconds. The victory marks the primary particular person win of his cross-country profession; beforehand, his highest-placing outcome had been second on the Canada West Championship in 2022. “I’m fairly psyched with the efficiency,” MacLean instructed Canadian Working. “I used to be actually uncertain the place my health was at, so to get the win towards a powerful subject was a bit surprising.”
MacLean reveals that at first of the race, he deliberate to stay together with his youthful brother, College of Regina rookie Brett MacLean, earlier than working his method to the entrance of the pack. “By the point I caught the leaders, I figured I’d go for it,” Ron says. “They had been simply as shocked as I used to be.”
The Regina native is in his fourth 12 months of eligibility on the College of Alberta. He holds the varsity’s 3,000m program document of 8:08.26, which he set in Boston in February. Ron competed for the College of Regina Cougars in his first 12 months of faculty, the place he earned 2019 Canada West cross-country Rookie of the Yr honours and set the previous 1,500m faculty document.
Cross-country season targets
Ron didn’t compete on the 2023 CanWest or U Sports activities cross-country championships. After graduating within the spring and taking a while away from the game, he returned for one final season with no expectations. “This previous weekend has had a major influence on my targets for the season,” he says. “Now I’ve my eyes on the CanWest title, which might be a battle on our tremendous hilly dwelling course. I’m additionally searching for a first-team All-Canadian end on the not-so-hilly course in Kelowna.”
Full outcomes for the Stewart Cup will be discovered right here.
