SHERBROOKE, QUEBEC-- Sarah Nelson of the Sarnia Athletics Southwest Track Club was once again in top form at the Canadian Legion Track and Field Championships in Sherbrooke, Quebec.  Competing in the 17 & under age division, Nelson came with two individual gold medals: the long jump (5.83m) and the triple jump in a personal best of 11.67m.  Her performance in the long jump bettered the previous meet record of 5.82m.  She also helped Ontario to win the 4x400m relay and place second in the 4x100m event.  The meet concludes Nelson’s very successful outdoor season, which included long jump wins in OFSAA Junior, OTFA Juvenile, Ontario Legions and Canadian Juniors (19 & under).  Mark Halls also represented Ontario, placing 7thth in the 17 & under 800 metres in 1:58.71 and 12th in the 1500m in 4:14.96, which represented a personal best time.  Maggie Lynch was also a member of Team Ontario but unfortunately was injuried during a practice session the day before the meet and was unable to compete. 

The aim of the Canadian Legion Track and Field Championships is to encourage participation, the development of leadership and the achievement of the best personal performance. The championships also encourage the fostering of friendships, awareness of The Royal Canadian Legion with the youth of Canada and the experiencing of different Canadian cultures.

The Legion Track and Field program has been described by national and provincial athletic associations as one of the best in existence. Some have qualified it to be of international calibre. The calibre of the athletes attending the event is extremely high since they have to qualify at provincial meets to be selected for the national championship. Therefore, each province brings its best. A good example of this is that one-third of the track and field athletes who were chosen to participate in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and all Canadian medal winners had gone through the Legion’s track and field program.