Stanat U-Sports men's shot put champ

  Knelsen grabs women's 1000 metres silver for first individual National medal

  March 10, 2025

By Rob J. Ross

WINDSOR, Ont. - A.J Stanat is an U-Sports champion.

Stanat captured men's shot put gold, with a throw of 17.70 metres, on day three of the U-Sports Canadian University track and field championships, March 4-6 at Windsor University.

The 21-year old from St. Thomas won by almost a metre, with Laval's Anthony Labbe finishing second with a throw of 16.72m.

"I'm thrilled," said Stanat. "It feels rewarding. It's something I've been looking forward to all season long."

The Windsor Lancer led the competition from round one opening with a throw of 17.23m. Stanat's best distance came in round five, a school record.

"I was still trying to get a big throw out there. I really wanted to hit the 18 metre mark," Stanat said. "I was trying a little too hard on the last one and missed the finish on it. I know it's there."

His goal of reaching 18 metres will be something to shoot for next year or during the outdoor season.

"I made a lot of progress this season and there was a lot of good things week in and week out that have happened and have helped me to come this far," said Stanat. "The word deserved comes to mind. I've been working my tail off for years now trying to be in the position I am now."

In year one, the Human Kinestics major placed eighth in shot put and 10th in weigh throw at the Ontario (OUA) championships, but missed qualifying for U-Sports. A year later at OUAs, Stanat was seventh in shot and 10th again in weight throw.

"I knew in my first year it would be very tough to make U-Sports, with older and more experienced guys in each conference. In my second year, I didn't get the most favourable ending. I believed I would be headding to U-Sports, but I was one or two spots off in shot put," said Stanat, reflecting on his first two years. "I bottled up all my feelings and aspirations and just went to work. I worked day in and day out every day of the summer trying to perfect my craft."

Stanat didn't compete during the 2023 outdoor season, solely focusing on practising in the circle and weight lifting. A veteran throws coach also returned to Windsor aiding the thrower.

"All the work I put in prior to my third year, had coupled well with my training plan my coaches prescribed for me," recalled Stanat.

That led Stanat to OUA gold in both shot put, a PB distance of 17.11m and weight throw in 2024. At U-Sports, his first National medal, shot put silver, while placing fourth in weight throw with a PB of 17.11m.

Stanat was the Windsor Lancers team MVP for the 2023-24 season.

Contributing to the Lancers men's team point total is another goal.

"Everything I do is to will our team forward. We were one spot away from earning a National medal," said Stanat, of the Lancers' men placing fourth at U-Sports this year.

Stanat finished sixth in men's weight throw (17.39m) on day two of U-Sports.

"A little disappointing, but I still came out and had a decent series," Stanat said. "There's still a lot more potential. I don't think I'm anywhere near my ceiling."

Stanat will be with St. Thomas Legion Club this competing in shot put and discus. Then back to Windsor U for year five.

Knelsen first individual medal

Hallee Knelsen has her first individual U-Sports medal.

The 21-year old from Malahide took the silver medal in the women's 1000 metres (2:47.80).

"My main goal coming here was I really wanted an individual medal," Knelsen said. "I'm happy, but hungry for more being that close. I did something that I didn't know I could do today."

Knelsen, with the Western Mustangs, finished on the heels of winner Jenica Swartz of Saskatchewan (2:47.60).

"I knew I was coming in (ranked) first, but I ran my time (2:43.13) at Boston, the fastest track and I wasn't running against any of these girls," said Knelsen, "So, I knew they would be tough to beat. There was a chance it would be a tactical race which it was, but that was helpful for me too."

A nagging hip injury that forced Knelsen to miss the 2024 outdoor season continues to plagued her. At the Ontario championships, Knelsen had to withdrawl from the 600-metre run.

Since owning one of the fastest top 12 times in the 600 this season (10th at 1:30.73), Knelsen was eligible to run the event at U-Sports.

"It was tough. I had to believe that I could still get here so I would keep going," Knelsen said. "Training has been off and on at times. My workouts are good, but sometimes they are sparse because I'm cross training half of them. When you show up to every race grateful you can run and feel good like I did today. I wasn't feeling too hot after my six (seventh in the 600m (1:31.84) on day one), so I'm glad that I was still able to pull it together today."

A few hours following the one kilometre, Knelsen ran the fourth leg in the women's 4x800-metre relay team, taking the Western Mustangs to a silver medal.

With one 200-metre lap remaining, Avery Pearson had Saskatchewan with a 40 metre lead. Knelsen closed the gap, to be in Pearson's shadow with 50 metres to go, making it a photo finish.

"There was quite a big gap to close. I didn't know if I could do it. I was trying to run as fast as I can, so no one else could catch me," said Knelsen, who ran her 800m leg in a school record split time of 2:08.54. "Coming into the last bend I was like, maybe I can do it. I went for it, but it wasn't quite enough."

Pearson held on to give Saskatchewan the gold (8:51.70) over Western (8:51.77), but teammates gave Knelsen a celebration fitting of a champion. Western was only fifth at the OUA meet.

Knelsen picked up her third medal of the meet on day three, a bronze, with the Mustangs' women's 4x400-metre relay team.

The fourth year Health Sciences student, has a more desired completion to her indoor season and will be able to compete outdoors this summer, with St. Thomas Legion Club.

"Last year left a lot to be desired. Going into U-Sports and not really being able to race. I had a lot I wanted to accomplish this year," Knelsen said. "I had a few injuries along the way, but I knew I wanted to feel as well as I could and be able to still run this year."

Knelsen now has all three colours of medals from the 4x8 at U-Sports, the gold coming in her rookie year in 2022 and three total bronzes in the 4x4. Her previous best result in the 1000m was seventh in year one. For the 600, Knelsen has finished seventh twice and ninth in 2023.

The East Elgin Secondary school still wants an individual gold.

"Still room to improve hopefully for next year," Knelsen added.

 

Hannah McIntyre had a very brief season.

On the sidelines with a quad/hamstring injury, McIntyre didn't see the track until mid February, but just in time to help St. Francis Xavier's 4x8 women's relay team win gold, at their conference championships, Atlantic University Sport (AUS).

"We're ranked 13th, so the top 10 would be a nice goal for us," said the Dorchester native prior to the event at her first U-Sports.

McIntyre and teammates Caden Lee, Poppy Moon and Caroline Ash, finished ninth (9:04.87).

"We broke our school record, by six seconds I think. It was a really good run for us," said McInytre, a second year Human Kinetics student at St. Francis.

Running second in the relay, McIntyre wasn't overly satisfied with her split time.

"It was a lot faster than what I expected. I've run one 800 this season. My only race this season and it was running around 2:20. It went out in like a 72 (for 400m), so this was definitely a big change in pace," said McIntyre. "If I was in better fitness, I probably would not be happy, but with all things considered."

McIntyre will be in Dorchester this summer, before returning to the school in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Jadyn Luna of Thorndale, with host Windsor, placed ninth in women's shot put (11.92m).

"Definitely a learning curve for me. I was more in my head this meet than I have before because I had high expectations for myself," Luna said. "I didn't meet the goals I wanted to today, but I'm happy to be here in general making my first U-Sports."

Brianna Rand of Dorchester, finished fifth in women's triple jump (11.95m) at her third U-Sports. Rand placed 11th in both 2023 (11.79m) and 2024 (11.54m).

Knelsen and Rand were part of Western's women's overall team championship. The Mustangs also won the men's team title.

The Windsor Lancers placed fourth in both the women's and men's team standings.
 

        rob@hometownplay.ca