St. Thomas Legion Track & Field Club

STL had 17 athletes competing at their first meet of the 2026 season this past weekend in Toronto at the AO Relay Championships & U16 Ontario Team selection.
The U18 women’s 4 x 200m relay team of Alayna Sloetjes, Amy Williamson, Brianna Scott & Kayla Zelibka captured the bronze medal with the time of 1:52.97
Nash Okkerse won the U16 2000m (6:07.48) and placed 2nd in the 800m (2:02.68) with some new PB’s and a new club record.
Kaleb Charette won the U16 Weight Throw (13.28m) and placed 2nd in the Shot put with new PB’s as well.
Xavier Sauer placed 3rd in the U16 High Jump (1.72m), and 3rd in Long Jump (5.46m)
Amy Williamson won the U18 Long Jump (4.84m) and placed 3rd in the Triple Jump with a new PB.
Will Downing had great showing, winning the U18 60m Hurdles with a new PB and a new PB in the 300m (38.90)
Henry Scott had a new PB in the 60m, placing 3rd overall (7.11), and a 1st place in the 300m with an impressive time of 35.70.
Breanna Sloetjes placed 2nd in both in the women’s U20 High Jump (1.55m) and Long Jump (4.93m)
Danica Cober placed 7th in the U20 60m Hurdles with a new PB of 9.51 and NPB in the 60m of 8.16
There were many new PB’s in the 60m for Kayla Zelibka, Brianna Scott, Alayna Sloetjes, Amy Wiliamson, Layla Suderman and Sophie Stevenson. Sophie also had a new PB in the 300m (47.88)
In the Open category Ivan Bosnjak won the High Jump and placed 2nd in the Shot Put with a new PB.

Congratulations to Breanna Sloetjes for singing an Athletic letter of intent for the Western University. Breanna will enroll at the Kinesiology or Health sciences program for the 2026 and she will be competing in the High Jump and Triple Jump events with the Mustangs.

STL's, Nash Okkerse finishes an undefeated season as an OFSAA champion.
Okkerse cruised to victory, taking the novice boys race by 11 seconds today at OFSAA cross country at Heart Lake Conservation Area in Brampton, ON
The Grade nine Parkside Stampeder won each of his seven races this season.
Congratulations Nash!

STL’s Mike Roth earned a spot on Team Canada and will be competing at the World Athletic Championships held in Japan, starting next week. He will be representing Canada as a member of the 4 x 400m mixed relay team. He is currently in Japan training with his teammates, before the preliminary rounds begin on September 13th. We wish him all the best on the world stage.

2025 certainly was a year to remember for AJ Stanat, bookending his year with Gold medals. It started in March with a gold medal in shot put at the Canadian University Championships, and ended last week with a Gold medal at the Canada Summer Games in Newfoundland. Throughout his 2025 journey, he represented Canada at the FISU games in Germany this summer and became the National Champion in Open Men’s shot put with a Gold medal, wearing STL’s colours at the Canadian National Championships held in Ottawa last month. In addition to his accomplishments in shot put, AJ also competed in the Discus throw at the CSG, making the podium again with a Bronze medal in that event.

STL’s Hallee Knelsen was in Newfoundland last week as well, competing for Ontario at the Canada Summer Games. She ran for the Bronze medal in the women’s 1500m with a PB of 4:21.53, and also placed 4th in the 800m.
Congratulations to both on their successful seasons as they now take some well deserved time to rest, before they gear up for 2026.

A great a showing again for STL at the 2025 Outdoor Canadian Championships in Ottawa over the past week.
-AJ Stanat captured his first National Gold medal in the Open Men’s shot put with a throw of 17.37m. He also placed 6th in the Discus throw. This win came off a recent trip to Germany, where he represented Canada at the FISU games. AJ will finish his season representing Ontario in the throws events at the Canada Summer Games in Newfoundland.
-Mike Roth made the podium again in the Open Men’s 400m, with a Bronze medal, running 46.39s. This performance gave Mike a spot on the Canadian team travelling to Japan in September for the World Athletics Championships.
Breanna Sloetjes placed 4th in U20 women's high jump (1.63m) at her first National Championship.
-Hallee Knelsen lowered her PB in the women's 800m to 2:05.77, but missed advancing to the final, placing 10th. Hallee, running with three teammates from the Western University track team, won the Gold medal in the Senior women's 4x400m (3:47.39).
-Dylen Belanger placed 11th in the men's 400m hurdles (55.09 sec.)
-Hunter Campbell placed 10th in the U20 Hammer Throw (47.60m) and 16th in Discus ( 42.78m)

Over the past weekend, 11 athletes of the St. Thomas Legion competed at the Athletics Ontario U14, U16, U18 Championships in Brampton, ON
Xavier Sauer leaped to a bronze medal in U16 boys high jump, clearing 1.73 metres.
Sauer also placed sixth in long jump with a personal best (PB) effort of 6.03 meters, 15th in the 100 metre dash (11.99 seconds) and 20th in the 200-metre dash (23.71 sec.)

Breanna Sloetjes placed fourth in both U18 girls high jump (1.62m) and triple jump (11.02m).

Audrina Nicholson of Dutton, placed fourth in U14 girls long jump (4.36m), eighth in the 150 metre dash, 11th in the 80-metre (11.45 sec.) and 12th at 300 metres (46.75 sec).

Joel Sloetjes was fourth in U16 boys high jump (1.67m), seventh in triple jump (10.86m) and 16th in long jump (5.03m).

Aiyana John was sixth in U18 girls high jump (1.52m).

Nash Okkerse finished 10th. in the U16 boys 1,200 metre run (3:26.08) and 13th. in the 800m (2:09.24)

Charlie Halpenny finished 10th in both the U16 boys 100m and 200-metre Hurdles with a New PB.

Harrison Halpenny was 11th in the 100 and 200m Hurdles with a New PB.

Fletcher Taylor placed 16th in U18 boys high jump (1.60m) and 19th in long jump (5.63m).

Will Downing was 21st in the U18 boys 400-metre hurdles.

Brianna Scott finished 26th in the U16 girls 300 (45.11 sec.) 31st in the 200 (27.70 sec) with personal bests in both events.

AJ Stanat won the open men's shot put with a best throw of 17.31m, at the Athletics Ontario Open and U20 Championships, this past weekend in Windsor. AJ also took the bronze medal in open Men's discus (47.35m).
Hunter Campbell, won silver in U20 men's hammer throw with a new PB of 49.85m, and placed 7th in discus with a another PB of 44.83m.
Hallee Knelsen competed for a bronze medal in the open women's 800m with a new PB of 2:06.61. Knelsen also placed 6th in the 1500m (4:25.42).
Dylen Belanger finished 6th in the open men's 400-metre hurdles 54.31 also with a new PB.

Don Wright Team Challenge and All Comers meet.
STL had a very successful start to the 2025 indoor season this past weekend at an allcomers meet in London. We had some great performances and excellent results as we continue to prepare for Provincial Championships in February.
Nash Okkerse broke the 1500m Club Indoor record in the U16 category, running this event for the first time and winning with a time of 4:45.79. He also placed 1st in the U16 600m race with an impressive time of 1:36.60.
Xavier Sauer had a great first day winning the U16 High Jump with 1.82m, with a new PB by 12 cm. He also placed 3rd. in the 60m (7.71)
Cadence Quin won the U16 60m with an 8.65, leading an STL 3-place swipe followed my Amy Williamson 8.70 and Aylana Sloetjes 6.83
Amy Williamson competed in the U16 Long Jump, winning this event with a jump of 4.74m a new PB. Cadence Baitz placed 3rd in the same event with 4.05m.
Jack Rice placed 6th in the U16 1500m (5:05.80), also with a new PB.
Joel Sloetjes won the U16 Long Jump wit a 4.95m and placed 2nd in the High jump (1.50m)
Braden Laframboise placed 2nd in his first competition with a 4.08 in the Long Jump.
Breanna Sloetjes won the U18 High jump with a new Indoor PB of 1.60m, and placed 2nd in the Long Jump
Aiyana John placed 2nd in the U18 High Jump with a 1.56m, also an Indoor PB
Fletcher Taylor placed 2nd in the boys U18 Long Jump with a 5.46m
Nicole Williamson placed 3rd. in the 300m U20 category in her first time competition in this event with a 47.25
Elias Granillo placed 2nd in the Masters/Alumni Category in the 60m with 7.53

This post comes with heavy hearts and great loss, as we share the passing of one of the founding members of our Club. Cathy Freeman passed away Wednesday, Oct 16th at the age of 88. Cathy and her husband Fred were both instrumental in starting up the St. Thomas Legion Track & Field Club in 1976, and Cathy remained a dedicated volunteer for over 40 years.
Cathy was our Legion Representative, our Club registrar, a member of our Board of Directors, an Athletics Ontario Jumps Official, a steadfast volunteer, a passionate supporter, and so much more to us and the Club than words can express. Thank you Cathy and to her family for sharing her with us for all those years.
Visitation and funeral is scheduled for Saturday, Oct 26th. Details can be found at www.williamsfuneralhomeltd.com

Congratulations to Xavier Sauer for being awarded the 2024 best male athlete in the U14 category at the Athletics Ontario Awards Gala & Hall of Fame Celebration, held past this weekend in Toronto.
A well disserve honour for a talented young athlete. All the best for the 2025.

Six members of the St. Thomas Legion track and field club competed at the Ontario Summer Games, over the weekend on August 2-3, at Western’s Alumni Stadium in London.

Xavier Saur in U14 boy’s category, captured 4 medals in four different events in 80m Dash (gold), High Jump (gold), Long Jump (gold) and 150m Dash (silver) with new personal bests in the two sprint events and new Club records.
Nash Okkerse came with a two silver medals in the 800m and the 1200m U14 boys. Nash was a member of the sprint relay team capturing he gold medal for the Bluewater team. Also, Nash’s 1200m performance was a new PB and a new club record.
Audrina Nicholson in U14 girls, placed 9th in Long Jump, 11th in the 80m dash, 10th. in 300m, and 11th in the 150m sprint. Also, she was a member of the Bluewater sprint relay team which was placed 4th.
Xavier Looper in U14 boys, placed 8th. in the U16 Triple jump, 7th in the High Jump, 8th in the Long jump and he was a member of the winning team at the Sprint relay.
Savannah Vannoord placed 5th. at the 80m Hurdles competing at the U16 category and 6th. in the 300m Hurdles with new personal bests both events.
Jack Rice in U16 boys, he placed 7th. in the 1500m Steeple Chase, and 15th. in the 2000m