THUNDER BAY, Ont. - Fanshawe's Katie Rice (Ingersoll) and Sheridan's Paulo Amotun Lokoro (Kenya) took home the individual gold medals at the 2022 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Cross Country Championships.
The event was hosted by Confederation College at the Lappe Nordic Ski Centre in Thunder Bay, Ont. Fifty-one runners crossed the finish line in the women's six kilometre race, while 79 completed the men's eight kilometre run.
Rice won the women's race in a time of 24:56.7, thirty-eight seconds ahead of silver medalist and defending champion Catherine Irwin (Kingston) of St. Lawrence. Mette Siemens (Saskatoon, Sask.) of Sheridan won the bronze medal in a time of 25:44.0.
Amotun Lokoro is the first-ever men's individual champion from Sheridan, joining Marilyn Ashton who won the women's race in 1977. Amotun Lokoro won in a time of 25:43.7, just under 20 seconds ahead of runner-up Jacob Fitzpatrick (Tecumseh) of St. Clair. Tyler Jones (LaSalle) of St. Clair took the bronze medal position in a time of 26:43.0. Jones is now a three-time OCAA individual medalist, previously winning two silvers.
Fitzpatrick and Jones' placement help St. Clair win the men's team championship for the first time since 2018, three points better than defending champion Fanshawe. Humber was awarded the bronze medal.
Fanshawe successfully defended its women's team championship, 20 points better than silver medalist St. Clair. Mohawk took the bronze position, its first OCAA women's team medal since 1996 (also bronze).
The top seven runners in each event are named to the OCAA All-Ontario First-Team. Joining Rice, Irwin and Siemens in order of finish were Ava Snyder (Burlington) of Mohawk (26:00.3); Faith Nieson (Cambridge) of Laurier Brantford (26:23.6); Mya Palumbo (LaSalle) of St. Clair (26:48.3); and Sam Reidy (Bornholm) of Fanshawe (26:59.6).
The men's OCAA All-Ontario First-Team includes in order of finish Amotun Lokoro, Fitzpatrick, Jones, Sandy Freeland (Waterloo) of Fanshawe (26:57.6); Sam Cumming (Barrie) of Fanshawe (27:18.0); Rick Nepomuceno (Windsor) of St. Clair (27:31.3); and Ty Breedon (Barrie) of Fanshawe (28:04.1).
The OCAA All-Ontario Second-Team consists of individuals who placed eighth through 14th. The women's second-team in order of finish include Rose Nathike (Kenya) of Sheridan (27:05.9); Ashley Lof (Beamsville) of Mohawk (27:11.0); Dianne De Boer (Guelph) of Conestoga (27:13.3); Jamie Kovacic (Thunder Bay) of Confederation (27:31.5); Frances Emery (Peterborough) of Fleming (27:37.1); Ainsley Taggett (Castleton) of Fleming (27:38.7); and Katie Funk (Bancroft) of Fanshawe (27:50.0).
The men's second-team All-Ontario in order of finish is Ethan Roche (London) of Fanshawe (28:07.2); Mason Biswas (Toronto) of Humber (28:20.4); Matt Lafleur (Kingsville) of St. Clair (28:27.6); Jaivir Sandhar (Brampton) of Humber (28:38.6); Matias Tessel (Guelph) of Mohawk (28:39.2); Ethan Kruiselbrink (Owen Sound) of Redeemer (28:44.6); and Robert Buck (Belleville) of Loyalist (28:55.2).
Runners represented 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.
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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