The line-ups were long and the rain persistent, but the energy at the Festival of Excellence couldn’t have been more upbeat as Usain Bolt and 50 other Olympians wowed a crowd of nearly 6,000 yesterday at Varsity Centre.
The most anticipated event was arguably the men’s 100-metre, featuring the world’s fastest man. Bolt sailed with ease in his now signature style across the finish line in ten seconds flat. His closest competitor, American Shawn Crawford, clocked in at 10.25, with teammate Ivory Williams taking third at 10.28.
While the sea of black and yellow flags suggested the Festival of Excellence was all about Bolt, track and field enthusiasts were equally keen to watch the women’s 100-metre hurdles. Canadians had a lot to be proud of when Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and Perdita Felicien led the pack nearly side-by-side until Lopes-Schliep, currently the world’s top female hurdler, powered to the finish line .02 seconds ahead of Felicien, taking top spot in 12.86 seconds.
Canadian Nate Brannen also pulled off a strong first-place finish in the men’s mile, taking a strong lead in the final stretch to come in at 3:55.07.
U.S. decathlete and Olympic gold medalist Bryan Clay, known as “the world’s greatest athlete,” took first place in his event, the men’s triathlon (pole vault, 110m hurdles and 400m), with a 40-point lead over U.S. teammate Jake Arnold.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better day,” says Blues head coach and meet organizer Carl Georgevski. “The crowd had a blast, the athletes gave us a great show and the rain only added to the spirit of celebration.” Fans along Devonshire Place may have had the most fun with live bands playing and vendors serving up delicious Jamaican fare, adding to the party spirit.
While Bolt, Clay, Lopes-Schiep and Felicien grabbed headlines around the world, Varsity Blues high jumpers Sarah Boyle and Mark Dillon were stars in their own right, competing in elite fields at the newly-minted stadium. “I feel like the extra pressure was off because we were at home,” says Boyle, who finished fifth. “It’s such a great opportunity that Carl created for us here.”
Toronto’s track and field fans don’t have to wait long for their next fix. Varsity Centre plays host to the Canadian Track and Field Championships, which also serve as the world trials, June 25-28th.
Dean Bruce Kidd, who helped realize the vision of Varsity Centre and is working towards finalizing plans for the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport across the street, was thrilled at what last night meant for sport at U of T. “We are determined to make Toronto a home once again for excellence in the summer Olympic sports, and tonight is an example of what we can achieve.”