U of M hosting top track and field athletes at U Sports championship

The peak of the U Sports track and field season is finally here.

“I’m super excited to be competing at home because it’s an opportunity to have our family and friends in the building,” said Lara Denbow, who’s competing in high jump.

This year’s championship meet is being held at the University of Manitoba. It’s giving local athletes like Denbow the advantage of being at home.

“I’m hoping to take some good attempts at some higher heights and just control the controllable,” Denbow said.

As for her Bisons teammate Graham Hutchison-Campbell, this weekend is a full circle moment.

“The last time U Sports it was at home and I believe it was in 2019 and I was just in high school and I just came out and volunteered and watched but now I’m actually going to be competing in it at home,” Hutchison-Campbell said. “It’s pretty special.”

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Hutchison-Campbell is competing in long jump and is a member of the 4×200-metre relay team.

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Bisons head coach Claude Berube is just as excited as his athletes. He says his team has depth this year and always performs well at home.

“I’m hoping that tradition will continue. It’s always super nice to have other schools from across the country come here. They love coming to this facility and competing here and they know that it’s going to be a good competition,” Berube said.

Individual titles are up for grabs this weekend along with team titles. The Bisons women’s squad is currently ranked ninth.

“The women are starting to climb up to where the men are getting to so we are hoping for good performances from both groups,” Berube said.

The men are sitting in third, with the championship trophy within reach.

“The men’s team’s goal is to win. We are at home so this is probably the best time to do it. The last couple of years we have been slowly rising up. Now it seems like the team is finally ready to put it all together,” Hutchison-Campbell said.

With months of training behind the well-rounded team, the Bisons are ready to run, jump and throw their way into the championship meet.

“Now it’s just up to us all to execute and put up our best performances this weekend,” Denbow said.