VICTORIA - Marisha Thompson has been named the Canada West Women's Track Athlete of the Year after an extraordinary performance at the conference championship hosted by the University of Saskatchewan on Feb. 20–21.

Thompson captured four medals over the weekend—two gold, one silver, and one bronze—helping lead the women's track team to a third-place team finish.
 
"Very few athletes have the range that Marisha has, and she showed that by performing in everything from the 600 metres to the 3000 metres and earning a ranking in each distance. To bring home four medals is a huge accomplishment and almost unheard of," said cross country and track head coach, Hilary Stellingwerff. "It's a testament to her hard work and dedication, and we're really proud of her."

Thompson dazzled in the 600 metres, winning gold in 1:33.56, before teaming up with Rory O'Brien, Stella McLeod, and Erin Owens to capture another conference title in the 4x800 metre relay. She added a silver medal in the 1000 metres (2:50.79) and a bronze in the 1500 metres (4:28.22), capping one of the most impressive individual performances of the championship.

The performance is the latest highlight in what has been a remarkable season for Thompson, who continues to establish herself as one of the country's premier middle-distance runners. Earlier this year at the University of Washington, she broke her own UVic school record in the mile, running 4:36.30 to automatically qualify for the U SPORTS championship. Her converted 1500 metre time of 4:15 also sits faster than the long-standing U SPORTS record set in 1988.

She followed that performance with another strong showing at the Panda Bear Open in Edmonton, Alberta, winning the 1000 metres and finishing second in the 600.

Thompson's success extends beyond the track season. After finishing sixth at the 2025 U SPORTS Cross Country Championship to earn First-Team All-Canadian honours, she has been selected to represent Canada at the FISU World University Cross Country Championships on March 14–15 in Cassino, Italy.

The selection marks Thompson's second appearance on the international stage, following her spot on Team Canada at the 2025 FISU World University Games, where she competed in the 3000-metre steeplechase.

With conference titles, records, and international selections already on her resume this season, Thompson's Athlete of the Year honour stands as the latest milestone in what is quickly becoming a historic run.

Thompson will continue her medal quest in the coming weeks as she aims to get back on a U SPORTS podium at the national track and field championships, February 6 and 7, hosted by the University of Winnipeg.