Just days ahead of her 26th birthday, Regan Yee received the gift of a lifetime.
Breaking a Canadian record in La Classique d’athlétisme de Montréal on Tuesday qualified this long-time Langley runner for a chance to head to Toyko later this month for the Olympics.
The Langley Mustangs runner and former Trinity Western University (TWU) Spartan who calls Hazelton, B.C. home, along with fellow Canadian athlete Crystal Emmanuel, needed was one last chance.
Yee turned in the performance of the night and achieved the Olympic qualifying standard in the women’s 3,000-metre steeplechase in a time of 9:27.54.
NOT SO LONG AGO: Langley runner Yee to compete for Canada at world championships
Emmanuel, who had already achieved the standard for the 200 metres, clocked a time of 11.11 in the 100 metres, setting herself up for a potential Olympic double.
La Classique was the final stop of the Tokyo qualifier series, taking place just two days after the Olympic and Paralympic Trials wrapped up.
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As spring turned to summer, Canadian athletes needed events where they could chase the Olympic standard and earn points in their Olympic and Paralympic pursuits.
Athletics Canada and a team of local organizers assembled the Tokyo qualifier series – a nine-meet series designed to host those important competitions here at home.
Athletes took full advantage, turning in great performances, setting new Canadian records, and one World Record in the process.
Yee, who finished her Spartans track career with five U SPORTS medals and eight Canada West medals in her five years at Langley’s Trinity Western University, has medalled multiple times at the national level, placed fifth at the Pan American Games, and was one of only two from TWU ever to compete in the IAAF World Championships.
Whether an athlete has been competing at meets in Europe, the United States, or one of our domestic events, the Olympic qualification period ended on Tuesday.
The list of World Rankings has been set, based on the performance of the world’s track and field athletes between June 30, 2019, and June 29, 2021. For those athletes who have not achieved the Olympic standard, their position will help determine their Olympic fate.
Check out the final Road to the Olympic Games rankings on the World Athletics website.
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