CAMROSE, Alta. – Trinity Western's rookie
Yemane Mulugeta (Surrey, B.C.) finished second at the Canada West Championships, while Constance Nankivell (Edinburgh, Scotland) won the conference title Saturday at Stoney Creek Park.
Mulugeta put together an incredible showing, finishing second overall in 25:37 over eight kilometres in his first-ever conference championship race. He is the second Spartan male (Joel De Schiffart, 2016) and fourth TWU athlete overall (Alison Jackson, 2014 and Lisa Brooking, 2016) to capture a Canada West silver medal in cross country. For his effort, Mulugeta was also named the Canada West Rookie of the Year.
Nankivell finished first in 28:38 over a grueling eight-kilometre course to become the first TWU athlete to win the conference title since Spartan-turned-Olympian Regan Yee won in 2017. Nankivell is the sixth Spartan to win the women's title and seventh Spartan overall to capture CW individual cross country gold. The Scottish sensation follows in the footsteps of Spartans Fiona Benson (2012), Alison Jackson (2013), Sarah Inglis (2014 and 2015), Yee and men's winner Declan White (2016).
Rounding out an impressive day for the Spartans was Justin Kiplagat (Eldoret, Kenya) finishing sixth overall in 26:04. With his effort, he joined Nankivell, who was also named the Canada West Athlete of the Year, and Mulugeta as Canada West First Team All-Stars.
TWU Results
Women
1st – Constance Nankivell – 28:38
26th – Naomi Reisdorf – 32:16
55th – Catherine Roper – 37:58
Men
2nd –
Yemane Mulugeta – 25:37
6th – Justin Kiplagat – 26:04
16th –
David Mutai – 26:34
33rd –
Daniel Toneguzzi – 27:14
38th –
Elijah Headley – 27:27
44th –
Malcolm Reid – 27:41
69th –
Andrew Gunnink – 28:41
NEXT UP
TWU will now prepare to compete in the U SPORTS Championships Nov. 9 at Mission Recreation Park in Kelowna, B.C.
QUOTABLE
Shane Wiebe, TWU Head Coach
"Yemane looked amazing today on the hardest course we've encountered in the last five years. Our top three men's runners were stellar today and our next two runners largely improved their placings from the Stewart Cup, so that's an encouraging thing. Similarly, Constance's gold medal reversed the finish from the Stewart Cup by about the same distance. Constance looked so strong today. I'm very happy with the day and I couldn't be happier with the squad."
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 34 Canada West team championships.
About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in CIS sports. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
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