Regina, Sask. – The University of Victoria track teams hauled in seven medals at the 2025 Canada West Track & Field Championships, Feb. 21-22 at the University of Regina.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Thompson wins first women's 3000m gold since 2011

• Marisha Thompson captured the Canada West gold medal in the women's 3000m with a time of 10:00.96.
• Thompson becomes the first Vike to win gold in the women's 3000m since Alicia Roske at the 2011 conference championships.

Frielink, Damian add 3000m podium finishes

• Elissa Frielink captured her first Canada West track medal with a runner-up finish to teammate Thompson in the women's 3000m, winning silver with a time of 10:10.18. Frielink also earned a berth to the U SPORTS championship with the second-place finish.
• Daniel Damian found himself on the podium in the men's 3000m for the fourth-straight year, with his time of 8:30.39 earning bronze. Damian now has two silver and two bronze conference medals in the event.

Men's 4x800 relay wins gold

• The Vikes relay team of David Waller, Ben Seshadri, Jack Boden, and Tate O'Brien captured the Canada West gold medal in the men's 4x800m relay with a time of 7:39.81, marking the first gold in the event for the Vikes since the 2022 championship.

Waller wins two medals for Vikes

• In addition to his gold medal as part of the 4x800m relay, David Waller took the bronze in the men's 1000m with a time of 2:27.33.
• The bronze marks the first individual medal won by Waller as a Vike, as he previously won a second gold as part of the 2022 men's 4x800m relay squad.

McDowell-Mitchell, Owens win first medals as Vikes

• In her rookie season with the program, Elisabeth McDowell-Mitchell secured a podium finish in the 600m, crossing the line in 1:31.47 for the bronze medal.
• Though she had represented the Vikes at the conference championships in years prior, Erin Owens won her first Canada West medal, taking bronze in the 1500m with a 4:34.66 finish.

Six Vikes earn Canada West All-Star honours

• The gold and silver medallists from each event earn respective Canada West First and Second Team All-Star accolades, resulting in six Vikes earning the honour:
  • First Team: Marisha Thompson (3000m), David Waller, Ben Seshadri, Jack Boden, and Tate O'Brien (4x800m Relay)
  • Second Team: Elissa Frielink (3000m)

Vikes have best conference championship under Stellingwerff

• The seven medals won by the Vikes at the Canada West championships mark the most in head coach Hilary Stellingwerff's tenure at the helm of the program, besting the previous high of six set in 2023.
• The seven medals are also the most for the Vikes since the eight won by the 2018 squad.

 
VIKES MEDALS AT THE 2025 CANADA WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS
Gold – Marisha Thompson, 3000m
Gold – David Waller, Ben Seshadri, Jack Boden, Tate O'Brien, 4x800m Relay
Silver – Elissa Frielink, 3000m
Bronze – David Waller, 1000m
Bronze – Daniel Damian, 3000m
Bronze - Elisabeth McDowell-Mitchell, 600m
Bronze - Erin Owens, 1500m
 
UP NEXT
Qualified Vikes head to the University of Windsor for the U SPORTS Track & Field Championships, March 6-8.
 
RESULTS
Women's 1000m
9. Monika Arcadi – 3:01.85
 
Men's 1000m
3. David Waller – 2:27.33
4. Jack Boden – 2:27.64
13. Nolan Galloway – 2:34.98
 
Women's 3000m
1. Marisha Thompson – 10:00.96
2. Elissa Frielink – 10:10.18
6. Christina Peet-Williams – 10:22.84
8. Samara Cockburn – 10:40.03
9. Hailey Abbott – 10:45.31
10. Chantal Abbott – 10:45.60
 
Men's 3000m
3. Daniel Damian – 8:30.39
9. Jacob Webster – 8:45.85
12. Hayden Woodrow – 8:51.42
13. Marcus Ganz – 8:52.31
14. Oscar Grainger – 8:56.90
16. Luke Suchoski – 8:58.60
 
Women's 4x800m Relay
DQ. Victoria
 
Men's 4x800m Relay
1. Victoria (Waller, Seshadri, Boden, O'Brien) – 7:39.81
 
Women 600m
3. Elisabeth McDowell-Mitchell – 1:31.47
14. Ilona Zrinyi – 1:40.52
 
Men's 600m
4. Tate O'Brien – 1:20.30
 
Women 1500m
3. Erin Owens – 4:34.66
4. Elissa Frielink – 4:37.63
7. Sofie Ohrling – 4:47.15
8. Monika Arcadi – 4:48.44
13. Christina Peet-Williams – 4:52.64
14. Hailey Abbott – 4:52.71
18. Samara Cockburn – 4:58.96
20. Chantal Abbott – 4:59.59
 
Men 1500m
10. Ben Seshadri – 4:00.71
11. Daniel Damian – 4:00.82
14. Jack Boden – 4:01.99
16. Hayden Woodrow – 4:03.08
18. Marcus Ganz – 4:04.08
19. David Waller – 4:04.41
23. Matthew Hopkins – 4:05.44
26. Oscar Grainger – 4:07.96
28. Luke Suchoski – 4:10.74
31. Jacob Webster – 4:14.36
33. Nolan Galloway – 4:22.83