2007

2007

The impending IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Osaka, Japan were on the minds of many athletes competing at the 24th annual Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic, which again featured Canada and China in a limited dual meet for the Pacific World Cup as part of the larger meet at Swangard Stadium.

For the third consecutive year Canada prevailed over China, which in 2007 featured a team of athletes primarily from the provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang. The meet, held in balmy, late-spring conditions, served up several races that ended in photo finishes, including a memorable battle in the women’s 800 metres that saw Rebeccca Johnstone of Bowen Island win the two-lap event in 2:03.60 with rival Aimee Teteris second at 2:03.61. Dylan Armstrong of Kamloops unleashed a personal best 20.72-metre toss to win the men’s shot put. That effort helped him qualify for the Pan-American Games, where Armstrong won gold with a 20.10-metre effort, and the world championships where Armstrong finished ninth.

The IAAF had also designated the 2007 Jerome meet as a relay qualifying event for the Pan-Am Games and world championships but all four Canadian teams failed to make the standard. The men’s relay hopes were dashed in the 4×100 when officials ruled a Canadian team exchange took place outside the official zone. In the 4×400 the Canadian men appeared to have a chance at qualifying until 400 hurdles ace Adam Kunkel and 400-metre man Tyler Christopher botched their exchange. Both went on to reach the finals in their respective events at the Osaka world championships. The Canadian 4×400 women’s team winning time of 3:36.67 was a meet record but outside the relay qualifying standard for Osaka. Meantime, Canadian record holder Tabia Charles rewrote the Jerome meet women’s triple jump record with a 13.40-metre effort.