RECAP : Track season opens at York with good results for Gee-Gees rookies

The Gee-Gees track and field team opened its competition calendar on Saturday December 4 at York. Many team members made their Gee-Gees debuts, including Katie Manor who clocked a notable time in the 60 metre sprint.

Manor, a psychology student from Ottawa who graduated from É.S.C. Paul-Desmarais, in Stittsville, placed fifth at York with her time of 7.74. The time places her among the fastest Gee-Gees in program history in the 60m; Manor is just the seventh Gee-Gee in team history to run sub-7.75. The team record sits at 7.61 and is co-held by Christiane Lela (2009) and Charifa Labarang (2017). For 2021, Manor's time is ranked eighth nationally among  U SPORTS competitors.

Several new Gee-Gees ran distance at York, including Yasser Riad who placed second in the men's 1000m, behind only Gee-Gees alumnus Stephen Evans. Riad, a juris doctor student from Gatineau, Que., also ranks eighth nationally in 2021 with his time of 2:30.87. In the women's 1000 it was Taylor Brown making her Gee-Gees debut. Her time of 3:19.56 also ranks eighth nationally to begin the season. The time netted her a sixth place finish at York, behind five club athletes.

In the field Thomas Senechal-Becker, a health sciences student and Ottawa product who represented De La Salle in high school, tied for second with his 1.95 clearance in the high jump.

The event featured competitors from York, Toronto, The Rams, Guelph, Brock, Laurentian, Waterloo, Western, and Carleton, in addition to city club athletes.

Overall, the Gee-Gees had 51 results at York. Full results are available online here.