THUNDER BAY, Ont. - The province's top collegiate runners will compete on Saturday at the 2022 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Cross Country Championships. Confederation College hosts the event at the Lappe Nordic Ski Centre in Thunder Bay, Ont.

St. Lawrence's Catherine Irwin (Kingston) aims to defend the OCAA women's individual gold medal having won two of three warm-up invitationals this season. Fanshawe's Katie Rice (Ingersoll) looks to be Irwin's strongest competition, winning once while being runner-up on two occasions.

Sheridan's Mette Siemens (Saskatoon, Sask.) will also target the women's podium having placed third on two occasions. Other women's individual contenders include Mohawk's Ava Snyder (Burlington), Sheridan's Rose Nathike (Kenya), Conestoga's Dianne De Boer (Guelph), and Laurier Brantford's Faith Nieson (Cambridge) who took the bronze medal last season.

St. Clair's Tyler Jones (LaSalle) was the OCAA men's individual silver medalist in 2021 and has won two of three invitational races in preparation for Saturday's big race. Sheridan's Paulo Amotun Lokoro (Kenya) has been Jones' toughest competition this season, winning once while being runner-up at two races.

Other men's individual contenders include Fanshawe's Samuel Cumming (Barrie) and Sandy Freeland (Waterloo) who is a two-time OCAA individual medalist, along with St. Clair's Rick Nepomuceno (Windsor) and Redeemer's Ethan Kruiselbrink (Owen Sound).

Runners will represent 14 Ontario post-secondary campuses, including the Cambrian Golden Shield, Centennial Colts, Conestoga Condors, host Confederation Thunderhawks, Fanshawe Falcons, Fleming Knights, Humber Hawks, Lambton Lions, Laurier Brantford Golden Hawks, Loyalist Lancers, Mohawk Mountaineers, Redeemer Royals, St. Clair Saints, St. Lawrence Surge, Seneca Sting and Sheridan Bruins. Fanshawe is the defending OCAA men's and women's team champions.

The women's six kilometre race begins at 11 a.m., while the men will race eight kilometres at 12 p.m.

The top OCAA individuals and teams advance to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Cross Country National Championships in Medicine Hat, Alta., on Nov. 12.

Championship Website: www.ocaa.com/xc

- OCAA -

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For over 50 years, the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association has been a dedicated leader in amateur athletics through the provision of quality varsity and recreational athletic opportunities at the collegiate level.

For additional information please contact:
Josh Bell-Webster
Marketing and Communications
Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com