1999

1999

Chilly temperatures proved challenging for competitors but several athletes still came through with impressive efforts. American powerhouse Dawn Ellerbe demolished the meet record in the women’s hammer throw with a toss of 68.32 metres, with Vancouver thrower Caroline Wittrin fourth, earning a personal best toss of 62.26 metres. At age 39, venerable veteran Johnny Gray showed his heels to a field of younger runners to win the men’s 800 metres while Coquitlam’s Philomena Mensah ignored the cold and scored a sprint double, taking the women’s 100 and 200-metre events. Victoria-based Robyn Meagher took the women’s 1,500 metres while 21-year-old Shane Niemi showed the talent that would eventually make him a Canadian record holder, finishing second in the 400 metres with a strong early season performance of 46.09 seconds.