2022

At the Harry Jerome Classic in Burnaby, Olympic decathlon champion Damian Warner acknowledged that he wasn’t at his peak — he won the 110 m hurdles in 13.68 seconds and the long jump with a 7.69 m leap, both below his best — but said the meet was more about putting in the work and competing rather than chasing top marks.

The crowd of about 2,300 at Swangard Stadium didn’t mind Warner’s “grindy” performance; they cheered him on warmly, and he took time afterward to sign autographs and take photos, emphasizing that part of his motivation was inspiring young athletes

Although no national records or world-championship qualifying standards were set, several competitors delivered strong, confidence-boosting performances: Lindsey Butterworth posted a personal best of 4:08.25 in the 1,500 m, setting her up nicely for the national championships in Langley. Christabel Nettey, a long jump veteran, won her event and is expected to make worlds via world-ranking points if she doesn’t hit the tougher standard. Meanwhile, Evan Dunfee, in the 10,000 m race walk, used the race as a baseline — noting he’s still building back fitness after injury. Regan Yee, racing her first steeplechase of the season, stayed calm, stuck to her plan, and won in 9:40.72, saving her emotion and energy for the upcoming national championships. 

The 2022 Jerome Classic served as a final stepping stone for athletes heading into the National Championships in Langley, giving them a chance to compete, test their form, and build momentum.

The Harry Jerome International Track Classic (1964), Canada’s longest running international invitational meet, has today been awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque. The accolade recognises the competition’s historic contribution to the development of track and field athletics in North America.

The announcement was delivered at a press conference on the eve of this year’s edition of the competition. The World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet is hosted at Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, British Columbia, which is where the plaque will be permanently displayed.

The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is a location-based recognition, awarded for ‘an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track and field athletics and of out-of-stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking’.

“Congratulations to the Harry Jerome International Track Classic on the award of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque (category: Competition),” commented World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.

“From its foundation in 1964 as the Achilles meet, to its renaming twenty years later in honour of the 100m world record breaker, the late Harry Jerome, the Classic has been Canada’s premier international track and field invitational.”

“Instrumental to the competition’s enduring success have been the Olympians Dr. Doug and Diane Clement who founded the Achilles International Track Society, which since the start has organised the event which has made such a large contribution to the history of athletics in Canada,” concluded Coe.