Team Canada athletes didn’t come to Paris 2024 to fool around. In track and field, five young sprinters in particular stood out, bringing nothing but their A-game as they made their first-ever appearance at the Games. Although medals were out of reach this time around (the medals earned in athletics were won by veterans), the performances of these young Canadians caught the attention of fans around the globe and making it clear that they would be returning, better than ever, for more.
Audrey Leduc (100m, 200m, 4x100m)
The 25-year-old Quebec native capped off her breakthrough season in Paris, where she competed in three different events and broke two national records during her big Olympic debut. Already holding the Canadian record in the 100m and 200m events, Leduc sprinted to a new personal best of 10.95 seconds in the first round of the women’s 100m, setting a new national record and qualifying for the semi-finals.
She also moved on to the semis in the women’s 200m, and anchored the 4x100m relay team to a new sixth-place finish in the final–after they ran a Canadian record time of 42.50 in the semi-final.
Audrey Leduc sprints to 100m national record in Olympic debut
Jacqueline Madogo (100m, 200m, 4x100m)
After an unconventional transition from the sport of soccer to track at 19, Madogo’s first appearance at the Olympic Games was a success. It’s uncommon to achieve a personal best once at any major championships, let alone twice–but the 24-year-old Ottawa native made it look easy. After falling short of reaching the 100m final, Madogo shifted her focus to the 200m, running a personal best of 22.78 in the first round, and another personal best of 22.58 in the repechage round–which easily qualified her for the semi-final, where she placed 20th.
Similar to Leduc, Madogo’s third and final event was the 4x100m relay, where she also contributed to the team’s new national record.
Christopher Morales Williams (400m)
Vaughan, Ont.’s Morales Williams capped off a near-perfect season with a phenomenal Olympic debut. He took an automatic-qualifying spot in the first round of the men’s 400m, taking second in his heat in 44.96. In the semi-final, he took eighth in his heat, and while he had bigger goals of making it into the final, the 20-year-old still ran away with 21st in the world. Knowing that he was one of the youngest in the event and still has plenty of experience to gain, Morales Williams is ready to put up an even bigger fight next time he’s on the world stage.
After signing a six-figure contact with Adidas, Morales Williams will be competing as a professional sprinter in upcoming seasons (instead of competing in the NCAA) while he finishes his degree in ecology at the University of Georgia.
Savannah Sutherland (400m hurdles)
21-year-old Savannah Sutherland impressed the world by taking seventh in the fastest 400m hurdles race in history on Thursday’s final in Paris. The Borden, Ont. native ran 53.80 and 53.88 in the semi-finals and finals just two days apart, both not far off her Canadian record time of 53.26. She followed this performance by showing up as part of the women’s 4x400m relay team, running the second leg in a jaw-dropping split of 50.06. The Canadian women took sixth place in the final–less than a second from breaking the national record.
Sutherland will be returning for her fourth year at the University of Michigan this fall to complete her pre-med degree and her final years of eligibility competing in the NCAA.
Mariam Abdul-Rashid (100m hurdles)
Abdul-Rashid advanced to the semi-final of the 110m hurdles after securing one of the top three spots in her first round heat. An impressive effort from the 26-year-old earned her a shiny, new personal best of 12.60, but did not advance her to the final. It did, however, leave her more determined than ever to show that her best is good enough to make an Olympic final. She’ll be returning next year to compete on the big stage against the deep field of competitors in the 110m hurdles–her quick time met the standard for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
Following their return from Paris, these athletes will be enjoying well-deserved downtime after a very long season. Their training will ramp up in the fall in preparation for the 2025 season, where both the indoor and outdoor World Championships are sure to be on their horizon.
