2003

2003

As in other years of the meet’s long and distinguished history, the women’s 1,500 metres proved memorable in 2003 with Carmen Douma of Cambridge, Ont., running a personal best 4:08.09 to upset veteran Leah Pells and rising star Emilie Mondor in a close, fast race. Pells, in a comeback season after giving birth to son Luke the previous year, took second in 4:08.37 with Mondor third in 4:11.30.

The men’s 1,500 metres was won by New Zealand’s Adrian Blincoe in 3:40.47, followed by Britain’s James Thie, who came into the event having run a 3:57 indoor mile earlier in the year, at 3:42.13. In the men’s high jump, American Jamie Nieto and world No.3-ranked Mark Boswell of Canada both cleared 2.25 metres but Nieto won the event on fewer missed attempts. Victoria’s Gary Reed won a thrilling 800-metre race over American rival Toby Henkels, prevailing by 16-hundredths of a second. In the women’s pole vault, a discipline which made its debut at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Canadian record holder Stephanie McCann of Vancouver was best with a 4.10-metere leap.