University of Toronto

As students get into the rhythm of a new school year, there are plenty of inspiring options to stay active, try something a new, meet new friends and, of course, have some fun outside the classroom.

The Athletic Centre, located at 55 Harbord, has options for students of all abilities and fitness levels. 

“Many students don’t realize that all U of T students are already members of the Athletic Centre,” says program manager Melissa Krist. “With two pools, squash courts, a newly-renovated strength and conditioning centre, elliptical trainers, an indoor track and a dance studio, there are countless ways to get moving in 2009-10. We even have some new classes like Taekwondo and Zumba.”

This year the fitness staff added Zumba® classes to the already diverse line-up of fitness and movement classes. Zumba’s®   Latin-influenced moves and energizing beats make it easy to forget you’re actually getting an incredible work-out. Students who want to give the class a try can come out to a free, drop-in class, one of over 30 classes that are free to all members. Those who’d like to gradually perfect their Zumba®   steps can enroll in a registered class.

Students who sign up for Zumba®, or any one of the over 300 registered classes, also receive a 15% discount at the Varsity Sports Store, located inside the Athletic Centre.

The Research Program in Applied Sport Sciences (RPASS) – a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health Promotion (MHP), the Canadian Sport Centres Ontario (CSC–O) and the Centre for High Performance Sport at the University of Toronto – is offering up to $8,000 per project for research that will assist the provincial plan for developing excellence in sport.  Details can be found on the Exercise Sciences program page.

University of Toronto Varsity Blues swimmer Colin Russell set a short course world record as a member of Canada’s 4×200m freestyle relay team at the British Grand Prix, August 7, in Leeds, England.

Russell (Oakville, Ont.) and teammates Stefan Hirniak (Victoria, B.C.), Brent Hayden (Vancouver, B.C.) and Joel Greenshields (Airdrie, Alta.) clocked a time of 6:51.05 to smash the previous mark of 6:52.66 set by Australia in 2007.

“A world record is the pinnacle,” said Varsity Blues head coach Byron MacDonald. “An international medal is great, but it just means you were the best on that given day. A world record means that no one has ever been as good as you. It’s quite an accomplishment!”

British Grand Prix Full Results 

A fifth-year arts and science major, Russell was named the CIS male swimmer of the year after he shattered three meet marks, including a pair of national records, and racked up seven medals in as many races – three golds, two silvers, two bronzes – at the 2008-09 CIS championships.

He swept the 50 (22.03), 100 (47.23) and 200-metre (1:43.31) freestyle events, setting Canadian short-course records in the latter two, and became the first male swimmer since 2003 to capture the CIS Sprinter’s Cup for winning both the 50 and 100-metre freestyle events in the same national championship.

In addition to his successful university campaign, the 2008 Olympian helped Canada garner a fifth-place finish in the men’s 4×200m relay as well as a sixth-place finish in the 4×100m relay in Beijing. He was also a semi-finalist in the 200m freestyle, returning to Toronto in top form for his first intercollegiate season as a Varsity Blue.

The University of Toronto took another step toward becoming a state-of-the-art centre for high performance sport thanks to a significant grant from the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program. The Faculty of Physical Education and Health’s application was approved July 8th. The grant will fund essential upgrades to the historical Varsity arena. The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and the University of Toronto each equally invested in the $1,145,698 project.

The renovations will include adding a dehumidification system and upgrades that will improve safety, accessibility and energy efficiency at the over eighty-year old facility. Improvements include: upgrading the sound system; creating an accessible washroom; replacing doors and windows, fixing roof leaks and installing a new ice compressor.

“We commend both levels of government for recognizing the contribution that sport and recreation facilities make to the health and well-being of communities, including universities and colleges, and making them eligible for infrastructure renewal.” says Bruce Kidd, dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Health.

The investment better equips Varsity Centre to align with the University’s playground to podium philosophy for sport development. Varsity Arena is home to the Varsity Blues men’s and women’s hockey team and a vital resource to the broader community open for public skates and various Junior Blues programs throughout the winter months.  The rink also converts to a volleyball court each summer to serve as the training ground for the Ontario men’s under 20 volleyball team.

Upgrades will be completed by January 2011.

Jason Wurster of the University of Toronto Varsity Blues earned a sixth-place finish in the men’s pole vault competition on Saturday, July 11 at the 25th Summer Universiade in Belgrade, Serbia.

Wurster (Stevensville, Ont.), along with Oleksandr Korchmid of Ukraine and Andrej Poljanec of Slovakia, vaulted a height of 5.40m. Due to the number of attempts, Wurster finished his third Summer Universiade appearance in sixth-place.

Alexander Gripich of Russia won the gold medal with a height of 5.60m, while Giorgio Piantella of Italy (5.55m) and Hendrik Gruber of Germany (5.45m) earned the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
 

University of Toronto Varsity Blues swimmers posted some impressive results, including two podium finishes, on the last two days of the Canadian senior national swimming championships in Montreal, Que.

Sasha Theron (Mississauga, Ont.) and Andrea Jurenovskis (Timmins, Ont.) teamed up with Toronto Swim Club (TSC) members Hilary Bell and Paige Schultz to earn a silver medal in the women’s 4×100m freestyle relay in a time of 3:50.41.

Similarly, first-year Blues swimmers Nick Karpov (Toronto) and Andy Townsend (Toronto) boasted silver in the men’s 4×100m freestyle relay with Blues alumni Terrence Haynes and TSC swimmer Jeffrey Sudbury in a time of 3:25.42.

Other top results from Friday include sixth-place finishes from Karpov in the men’s 50m backstroke and Zsofi Balazs (Toronto) in the women’s 400m freestyle. Poppy Ruksys (Kingston, Ont.) also placed fifth in the women’s 400m freestyle B final.

Saturday also saw some great results from Blues swimmers. Balazs finished fifth in the women’s 800m freestyle with a time of 8:56.95, while Ruksys and veteran Melanie Davis (Brantford, Ont.) placed 10th and 15th, respectively.

Karpov garnered another top-eight finish, this time in the men’s 200m backstroke. The rookie placed seventh in a time of 2:05.72, while Oakville, Ont. native Cam Cummings finished first in the B final.

Karpov, Townsend, Sudbury and Stevan Kalaba (Toronto) picked up a fourth-place finish in the men’s 4×100m medley relay in a time of 3:53.83, while Theron, Jurenvoskis, Bell and Schultz were sixth in the women’s 4×100m medley relay with a time of 4:21.55.
 
 
 
 

On the heels of hosting the OFSAA championships, the Festival of Excellence and the Canadian track and field championships, the University of Toronto is further asserting its commitment to high performance sport, announcing today the creation of a High Performance Swimming Centre and a National Development Centre for track and field. Two world-class coaches will head up these centres.

The track and field development centre is a joint initiative between Athletics Canada, Canadian Sport Centre Ontario, the University of Toronto and Athletics Ontario and will specialize in sprints and other speed-related events. Together with a second centre in Montreal, the program will work to produce podium and top eight results at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The centre will be led by head coach and Olympian Molly Killingbeck.

U of T is also raising the bar for its swimming program. In partnership with Swimming Canada, Swim Ontario and the Canadian Sport Centre Ontario the High Performance Centre will create a resident training program for the province’s athletes. Australia’s John Rodgers, a world renowned coach, will lead the program. He has produced eight Olympic medals, 17 Commonwealth Games medals and one World Championships medal and was part of the coaching staff at the Australian Institute of Sports from 1982 to 1986.

“By establishing these centres here at U of T, we are able to reinforce our commitment to sport development from playground to podium,” says Liz Hoffman, U of T’s director of athletics.  “We are so excited to welcome all of this incredible talent as we continue to assert ourselves as a major player in the field of high performance sport.”

Sarah Boyle and Kate Ruediger of the University of Toronto Varsity Blues track and field team both reached the podium at the 2009 Canadian track and field championships and world selection trials, June 25-28, at Varsity Centre.

The 2008-09 OUA and CIS women’s high jump champion, Boyle (Scarborough, Ont.) cleared 1.75m on her second attempt to earn the bronze medal in a rain-soaked affair on the final day of competition. Jillian Drouin of Sarnia Athletics and defending champion Nicole Forrester of Mississauga placed first and second, respectively, clearing 1.80m.

Oakville, Ont. native Ruediger also claimed a bronze medal in the 400m with a time of 55.14. Esther Akinsulie of the Ottawa Lions placed first in 52.58, edging out Carline Muir of Legacy Athletics who was second with a time of 52.67. Ruediger also finished sixth in the B final of the women’s 200m.

In the men’s pole vault, 2008-09 OUA gold medalist and CIS silver medalist Jason Wurster and Toronto native Doug Creighton finished tied for fifth place, vaulting a height of 4.60m.

Michael Del Monte (Guelph, Ont.) just missed the final of the men’s 800m, placing ninth in a time of 1:51.93.

University of Toronto Track Club members Mark Dillon and Tyler Koskenoja also reached the podium this weekend. Athree-time CIS champion during his five years as a Varsity Blue, Dillon earned the silver medal in the men’s high jump with a height of 2.15m. Koskenoja placed third in the men’s decathlon with an overall score of 6827. Defending champion Massimo Bertocchi was leading the men’s decathlon but withdrew from the competition due to injury.