(08/03/25) - Windsor, ON., After an exciting 2025 U SPORTS Track and Field Championship weekend on the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse track hosted by the University of Windsor, the Gaels complete the weekend 12th overall in the men's field out of 25 competing teams with 16 points and the women broke a Queen's All-Time team record.
Jude Wheeler-Dee (Con-Ed-Chemistry) who joined the sub-four minute mile list earlier in the season, took home two silver medals for the Men's 3000m and 1500m. The Women's 4x800 finished 8th out of 13 teams, besting the Queen's All Time Women's Indoor 4x800 record with a 9.03.55 finish.
The first event for the Gaels took place Friday, March 7th with three Gaels runners
Will Cox (Graduate Studies),
Roman Mironov (Commerce), and Wheeler-Dee facing off against 12 opponents. Cox qualified by finishing second at OUA's with the time of (8:14.14). The Bruce Lehane Boston Invitational allowed both Mironov and Wheeler-Dee to qualify both finishing in the top 12. Mironov finished with a time of (8:07.65), and Wheeler-Dee a time of (8:10.90).
The opening minutes of the race saw Wheeler-Dee sitting in second close behind Alec Purnell (McMaster University). The race paced evenly through until the final laps with 2k ran in (5:40). Seven minutes into the race the leaders Purnell and Wheeler-Dee began to take off kicking after tactically harnessing their energy in the bulk of the race. Both runners have accomplished the sub-four minute making for a tight contest. The two runners paced significantly in front of the pact creating a divide where Wheeler-Dee only had to worry about the runner in front of him. Purnell took off during the bell lap and finished just under two seconds before Wheeler-Dee crossed the line for silver. The final medal times are Purnell for gold (8:12.40), Wheeler-Dee for silver (8:14.00), and Dalhousie's Jacob Benoit (8:17.48). Wheeler-Dee finished 3.48 seconds ahead of the rest of the heat. Cox and Mironov stayed steady within the pact throughout the 3000m. Cox finished 9th with the time of (8:25.85) followed by Mironov who finished 10th at (8.37.44). The Men's 3000m gave the Gaels +8pts to start the weekend in Windsor.
Later that evening
Olivia Hendrikx (School of Medicine),
Elizabeth Vroom (Engineering),
Gillian Porter (Sciences), and
Caleigh Pribaz (Kinesiology) lined up alongside 12 top Canadian teams for the Women's 4x800m finals. The girls sealed their U SPORTS ticket at OUA's running a top 12 time receiving bronze and finishing in (9:11.06). Off the gun, Hendrikx pushed to a steady 5th in the pact and handed off to Vroom after the Gaels first 800m at (2:15.540). Vroom's speed was on display as she moved the team to 2nd at one point through her 800. After (2:17.124), Vroom now in 5th passed the baton to Porter who ran a speedy round at (2:15.898) who then passed to Gaels anchor Pribaz. Pribaz took off and finished her 800 in (2:14.990), bringing the Gaels across the finish line at 8th with the time of (9.03.55).
The four Gaels finished their 2025 Indoor Track season besting the Queen's Women's 4x800m record set the year prior at the 2024 OUA Championships, also held by the Windsor Lancers. The girls beat the previous record of (9.05.25) by just under two seconds. Pribaz and Vroom being part of the effort both years demonstrated their growth from one season to the next and their continued success on the team. Medals were given to the Saskatchewan Huskies - the reining champions, who finished at (8:51.70), then to the Western Mustangs (8:51.77), and to the University Laval Rouge-et-Or (8:56.17).
Saturday afternoon saw the highly anticipated and competitive Men's 1500m race where Gaels' Wheeler-Dee would give the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse crowd a show. Wheeler-Dee previously won gold at the OUA Championships with the time of (3.50.20), defeating rivals Purnell and Max Davies (Guelph) ahead of the heat by .50 seconds. Earlier on in the season, Wheeler-Dee broke the infamous 47-year long Bob McCormack 1500m record starting his season off with a bang. The race began in a steady pace with Wheeler-Dee starting off in fourth place to which he quickly propelled into second on the heels of Davies. Wheeler-Dee took the lead at around (2:25) into the race which created a large gap between the two runners and the rest of the heat. The bell-lap saw both runners kicking with all they had. Wheeler-Dee crossed the finish line for silver with the time of (3:47.39) just behind Davies time of (3:45.77). This was no easy win for Davies as Wheeler-Dee matched his pace and showed his speed and endurance through the entirety of the race.
The 2025 U SPORTS weekend coming to a close, the Gaels finished their quick Indoor Track season in an accomplished style. The Gaels Track and Field team is known for their strong team dynamics and unity which surely aided the successes of the weekend and will be celebrated. Congratulations to all runners!
