On Saturday, Canadian Jazz Shukla became the 10th Canadian woman in history to run under the 2-minute mark in the 800m, clocking 1:59.94 to win her race at the Sound Running Track Fest in Los Angeles.
A rising star in Canadian middle distance track, Shukla was thrilled with her result, telling reporters after the race that she “executed the way [she] wanted to”, gaining momentum in the second half.
“I knew it would be close,” she added in the interview, referring to breaking two minutes. “I went when I felt the urge to… I’m really, really happy.”
The 25-year-old from Toronto was the only woman to break two minutes at this weekend’s event. Shukla has yet to represent Canada at a World Championships or Olympics at the senior level, but is making a strong case for herself for potential selection this year.
Also racing in the women’s 800m, Canadian Olympian Madeleine Kelly ran 2:03.99 in heat one, finishing 10th.
Other notable Canadian results
The women’s 800m wasn’t the only race that saw Canadians run noteworthy times.
Taking second in her heat for the women’s 1500m, Olympian Lucia Stafford clocked 4:03.87, running just 1.3 seconds off Olympic standard. Quebec’s Simone Plourde took fifth in the race, setting a new PB over the distance in a time of 4:05.92.
Cameron Proceviat took fourth in the men’s 1500m, running 3:37.56.
Vancouver’s John Gay took sixth in the men’s 3000m steeplechase with a time of 8:30.46.
Katelyn Ayers of Victoria took ninth in the women’s 5000m, running 15:50.42.
The next important upcoming race for Canadian track and field will be the 2024 Track & Field Trials taking place in Montreal over June 26 to 30, where athletes will have a final chance to fight for spots to this summer’s 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
