Former excessive jumper wins U Sports activities 3,000m

After transitioning from excessive bounce final summer time, Windsor Lancers standout Madelyn Eybergen continues to thrive in middle-distance working. In her third-ever 3,000m race and U Sports activities debut on Friday in Windsor, Ont., the athlete gapped the sector and assertively claimed the nationwide title.

After a decent two-person battle with Western College’s Sophie Coutts, Eybergen pulled away within the last lap; she clocked 9:20.72 to higher her earlier private greatest by practically 5 seconds. Coutts claimed silver in 9:26.45, with Laval Rouge et Or rookie Mia Larochelle rounding out the rostrum in 9:43.58.

“I’m feeling actually good,” Eybergen instructed Canadian Working. “It was my plan to win, however I wasn’t absolutely anticipating it.”

Madelyn Eybergen of the Windsor Lancers wins the ladies’s 3,000m in a blistering 9:20.72🤩 pic.twitter.com/x0U7K6iPVd

— Canadian Working (@CanadianRunning) March 8, 2025

“My purpose was to additionally get a brand new college report,” she added. “The primary lap was fairly sluggish, and I knew I needed to go sooner to get that report.” Eybergen was profitable in her report try, blazing previous Stefanie Smith‘s mark of 9:23.89. The following day, the Lancer went on to assert bronze within the 1,500m.

The 2025 summer time season is about to be a defining chapter in Eybergen’s profession. “The massive purpose proper now’s to determine what race I’m greatest at–whether or not that’s 3K, 5K or 10K,” she mentioned. “I’d attempt steeplechase in the summertime–we’ll see.” The graduate scholar is barely in her second 12 months of collegiate eligibility, and can return to the U Sports activities scene subsequent 12 months to defend her title.

Eybergen was initially recruited to the Lancers monitor and subject crew for the 2020-21 college 12 months as a excessive jumper. She transitioned to middle-distance working over the summer time in 2024, and went on to win OUA gold and U Sports activities bronze within the cross-country season. Earlier than that, she hadn’t taken half in a cross-country race since Grade 9.