Coolsaet and Douma-Hussar win national cross country running titles

Monday, December 03, 2007

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GUELPH – Reid Coolsaet of Guelph, Ont., and Carmen Douma-Hussar of Cambridge, Ont., endured freezing temperatures to win the men’s and women’s senior titles on Saturday at the Canadian cross country running championships.

In the senior women’ seven kilometre race, Douma-Hussar earned the victory in 23 minutes and 46.8 seconds.  Megan Metcalfe of Edmonton was second in 23:55.1 and Alexandra Becker of Guelph third in 23:58.1.

Douma-Hussar is one of Canada’s top middle distance runners on the track.  She was a member of the 2004 Olympic team and this year’s world championship squad.  She posted a personal best time in the mile this season at the IAAF Golden League stop in Brussels.

In the other three races Saturday, last year’s runners’-ups all took the gold this time.

In the senior men’s 10 kilometre race, Coolsaet won a close battle for the gold in 29:55.7.  Eric Gillis of Guelph was second in 29:56.2 and Dylan Wykes of Kingston, Ont., third in 30:12.7.

Coolsaet was second at last year’s cross country nationals and this season took the men’s 5,000-metre title at the Canadian track and field championships.  He set a personal best times this summer in the 1,500, 5,000 and  10,000 metre races on the track this season.

‘’It was a similar race to last year for me except Simon wasn’t there,’’ said Coolsaet referring to Simon Bairu of Regina who won the previous five cross country nationals.  ‘’It would have been interesting to have him in the race.  But Eric and I really battled it out.  I stayed patient and pushed hard at the end and that really dwindled the pack.’’

In the junior women’s five kilometre race, three-time Saskatchewan high school champion Kendra Schaaf of Saskatoon collected her fist national title in 16:53.7 after last year’s second place.  Lindsay Carson of Cambridge was second in 17:07.6 and defending champion Danelle Woods of Ottawa third in 17:29.0.

‘’The cold didn’t bother me too much, compared to home it wasn’t bad,’’ said Schaaf, 17, who led the entire race.  ‘’I was happy with my race.  Everything went well especially the middle part which can be tricky when you start to feel tired.’’

In the junior men’s eight kilometre race, Matt Leeder of Brockville, Ont., improved one position this year winning in 25:09.3 with Kyle Boorsma of Guelph second in 25:16.3 and Matthew Hughes of Toronto third in 25:51.2.

‘’I really nailed this race,’’ said Leeder, 17, a first year student at Florida State University.  ‘’It was a real battle with Kyle and I’m pleased with how I finished in the last 300 metres and survived this weather.  I certainly did have a better race than last year.  I’ve really put in the miles this season and it paid off today.’’

The competition served as the junior and senior selection trials for the 2008 NACAC (North American and Carribean) Cross Country Championships and 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland.   

Please visit http://www.flocasts.org/flotrack/coverage.php?c=130&id=6140 for interviews and coverage from the championships.

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