Sutherland, Flanagan Claim Canadian National Titles

Sutherland, Flanagan Claim Canadian National Titles

LANGLEY, B.C., Canada — The University of Michigan track and field program saw four Wolverines past and present compete at the 2023 Bell Canadian Track and Field Championships this past weekend (July 27-30), with Savannah Sutherland (2021-present) and alumni Ben Flanagan (2013-18) winning national titles in their respective events.

Sutherland topped off her breakout season with the Canadian national title in the 400-meter hurdles. After winning preliminary rounds, Sutherland was challenged by Brooke Overholt in Sunday’s (July 30) final. The NCAA champion was ahead of Overholt coming off hurdle ten but was soon challenged by a charge from her competitor. Sutherland managed to hold off Overholt’s advance to claim the national title with a time of 56.14. Team Canada will officially announce its roster for the World Athletic Championships later this week, though Sutherland has already earned the world standard mark to qualify. She is currently ranked eighteenth in the world.

Flanagan claimed the 5,000-meter national title Thursday (July 27), with a time of 13:39.36 to finish four seconds ahead of Mitchell Ubene. It marked Flanagan’s first time being named Canadian national champion.

Riley Flemington won the men’s U20 1,500 meter preliminary to automatically qualify for events finals. He took second in Saturday’s (July 29) final after a head-to-head race with Jonathon Podbielski in a time of 3:49.80. Flemington will compete for Canada in both the 800 meters and 1,500 meters at the Pan Am U20 Championships in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico next week (August 4-6).

Recent graduate Aurora Rynda claimed the silver medal in the 800 meters. Rynda ran a competitive race to finish with a time of 2:02.73, just five-tenths of a second behind event winner Madeleine Kelly. The performance marked Rynda’s second Canadian silver medal in the event.

Full results can be found here or through the FECOA website.