Inside two days of turning 70, Ottawa’s Wendy Alexis had already damaged an age-group world file. On the World Masters Athletics Indoor (WMAi) Championships in Gainesville, Fla., on Thursday, the sprinter certified for the 200m semi-finals, smashing the W70 world file alongside the way in which.
Alexis received her warmth in a blistering 30.68, surpassing the previous mark of 31.17 by practically half a second and marking her first world file. She additionally broke Canadian masters legend Karla Del Grande‘s nationwide file of 31.18.
Since Alexis turned 70 after the competitors had already begun, she is competing within the W65 age class, however her time qualifies for a W70 file. Within the preliminary spherical, she and Canadian compatriot Renata Macherzynska, who clocked 31.65, completed one-two and can each advance to the semi-final on Friday.
On Monday, Alexis additionally claimed the W65 60m title, successful each her warmth and the ultimate in 8.98 and eight.95, respectively. She was joined on the rostrum by Puerto Rico’s Marie-Lande Mathieu (9.02) and the U.S.’s Carol Robertson (9.17). Macherzynska fell simply in need of a medal, taking fourth in 9.21.
A Canadian W70 rivalry?
On the 2024 World Masters Athletics Championships in Sweden final August, her first world championships since 2018, Alexis received gold and silver medals within the W65 100m and 200m, respectively. Del Grande earned the identical finishes within the W70 division, taking the 100m world file in 14.70. In an interview with Ottawa Sports activities Pages in October, Alexis admitted to having her eyes on Del Grande’s W70 mark within the 2025 season. “I’m assured I can get her [world] file,” she stated. “Karla is such a fierce competitor, such an excellent pal. I believe I’ve a little bit of a bonus within the 60 and 100 metres, however who is aware of. She’s all the time there.”
Click on right here for full outcomes from the WMAi championships.