Recap: Day 1 of the 2026 U SPORTS Track and Field Championships
Jinaye Shomachuk of Lethbridge started the day by shattering the U SPORTS meet record in the weight throw, with a toss of 20.77m.
The Lethbridge standout set a new U SPORTS standard on her first attempt, going 20.01m, shattering the prior meet record of 19.66m, set in 2005 by fellow Pronghorn Kate Forbes. She then one-upped herself on attempt six, throwing 20.77m.
Both tosses were a full metre ahead of anyone else in the competition, capping a stellar season for the Pronghorn standout, who was also named Women’s Field Athlete of the Year earlier in the day.
The Airdrie, AB native entered competition ranked No. 1 in the country after throwing above the national championship record at four different meets, including a PB of 21.67m, also in Winnipeg at the Jim Daly Bisons Classic in February. It’s her fourth medal overall in the event at U SPORTS, earning gold as well in 2023, along with silver in 2022 and 2025.
The battle for silver and bronze featured Liv Sands of Western (bronze last year), and Jordana Badley-Castello of Windsor, last year’s national champ. Sands surged into second on her second toss of 18.98, with Badley-Castello taking home bronze with a best toss of 18.88, also on attempt two.
“It feels unreal. It’s awesome,” said Shomachuk.
“Over the four years of being [at Lethbridge], I’ve come to really appreciate the community that’s there, especially within the university, and coach Larry [Steinke] is honestly just phenomenal.”
To close the day, Saskatchewan’s women’s 4x200 relay team of Hailee Woodhouse, Emma Egert, Selena Keyowski and Grace Igbiki set a new U SPORTS event best, crossing the line in 1:36.06 in the prelims as the top finishers. The quartet already hold the Canadian, Canada West and school record of 1:35.75, set at the conference championships in February.
In the overall team standings, the Guelph Gryphons burst out to a 17-point lead on the women’s side (34 points) and a four-point lead on the men’s (14 points), thanks to two gold medal finishes, and four top three results. The perennial powerhouse program is aiming for a seventh national title in the last eight seasons across both genders.
On the women’s side, Gabrielle Cole secured first in the 60m for Guelph, as did Jennifer Elizarov in the pole vault. Meanwhile, Rebecca Parker and Paige Zinger finished second and third in the pentathlon, and Travis Campbell and Keon Rude did the same in the men’s 60m final.
The 60m finals featured two former silver medalists adding gold to their collection in impressive fashion.
In the women’s race, Cole – a two-time national silver medalist – surged to first in a time of 7.20 seconds, just off the U SPORTS meet record of 7.19.
Cole – entering nationals ranked No. 1 in the country – burst off the line and was well ahead of silver medalist Maria Theresa Ulysse, who crossed the line in 7.38 seconds. Sienna MacDonald of Calgary, who came into the competition ranked No. 5, earned bronze in a time of 7.42 seconds.
In the men’s final, Manitoba Bison Tyrell Davis thrilled the hometown crowd with a school record time of 6.59 seconds to take gold.
Much like Cole, he surged out of the blocks and led for the entire duration of the race, becoming the first Bison in school history to run sub 6.60, surpassing his own PB of 6.60 from earlier in the year.
Crossing the line in second was Campbell, the No. 1 seed entering the competition with a school record time of 6.58. He ran a 6.62 for silver, while Rude finished in third, in a time of 6.74.
It’s Davis’ second medal on home soil at nationals, after earning silver two years ago. The ultimate comeback story, the Winnipeg overcame a torn hamstring (two different muscles) suffered at the Canada Games trials in July, which forced him to miss two months of outdoor training. He returned for the indoor season in impressive fashion, setting a then school record of 6.60 at the Golden Bear Open in January, which he broke on Thursday night in front of countless friends and family.
“It’s surreal. I can believe it, but I can’t at the same time,” said Davis.
“I’ve worked for it. I had breaking the school record in my mind. I didn’t know quite how fast it was going to be. The goal was to run 6.5. That’s world indoor standard as well, so I’m pretty sure I’ll end up going to worlds now too, which is a really surreal feeling. I’ve never represented Canada in anything before.”
In the pentathlon, Shelaine Pritchard of Regina took home her first U SPORTS gold, after a bronze medal result last year. She finished first in the 60m hurdles, shotput and long jump en route to 4,187 total points, ahead of Parker’s 4,083 and Zinger’s 3,760.
Action continues all day tomorrow, beginning at 1 pm with the weight throw.