Jessica Zelinka – London 2012
London, UK – Day two of Canadian athletics competition at the 2012 Olympic Games saw a Canadian record, a top ten finish, and three top twelve performances.
Vancouver, B.C.’s Inaki Gomez finished 13th in the men’s 20-kilometre race walk final in a new Canadian record time of 1:20:58. Gomez continually worked his way back from the 28th position at the 8-kilometre split. By the 10-kilometre marker he was up to 18th, at the 12km split he had moved up to 16th, at the 18km split made it up to 14th and eventually finished 13th.
Jessica Zelinka London, Ont., and Brianne Theisen of Humbolt, Sask., both finished in the top 12 in the gruelling two day heptathlon. Zelinka’s score of 6480 points was good for seventh overall. “I don’t know what to make of it, five of the seven events were exactly what I wanted but it was hard going into the 800-metres knowing I wasn’t going to medal.”
The original results showed Zelinka with a sixth place finish and Theisen with a tenth place finish. However after a successful appeal from German Lilly Schwarzkopf the official results were updated providing her with silver and bumping Zelinka and Theisen to seventh and 11th respectively. Schwarzkopf appealed the 800-metres results which had her as disqualified thus not earning any points towards her final heptathlon score.
Theisen finished 11th overall with a two day total of 6383 points. “Top ten (at time of interview in the mixed zone the results had her tenth) was my goal so I’m happy. Physically I was prepared but mentally the Olympics are draining. I’m young, this was a great experience.”
In the men’s 10,000-metres final Cameron Levins of Black Creek, B.C., finished 11th crossing the line in 27:40.86 “I was there with the best in the world for 24 laps, I just don’t have the strength yet to kick with them.”
Mohammed Ahmed of St. Catharines, Ont., finished 18th in the 10,000-metres in a time of 28:13.91. “You can never be satisfied but I learned a lot and want to become more consistent at this level, it’s a good stepping stone towards 2016.”
Justyn Warner of Markham, Ont., finished third in his 100-metres heat clocking a personal best of 10.09 seconds to automatically qualify for tomorrow’s semi final. “My goal this season was sub 10.10, now I have to have the race of my life to get into the final and that’s my plan.” The semi final takes place tomorrow at 19:45 local time (14:45 eastern time) with the final slated for two hours later
In the women’s 400-metres semi final Jenna Martin of Bridgewater, N.S., finished seventh in her heat stopping the clock at 52.53 seconds, she did not advance to the final. Martin was visibly upset but will leave with no regrets, “My body didn’t respond tonight, I may have pushed too hard at the beginning of the race. I had to go for it; I did the best I could, no regrets.”
Mélanie Blouin of Quebec, Que., tied for ninth in group B of the women’s pole vault qualifying. Blouin finished with a mark of 4.25-metres and did not advance to the final. “I would have liked to have done better, but this was a great experience and I wouldn’t change anything. ”
In the men’s 400-metres Daundre Barnaby of Brampton, Ont., finished sixth in his heat clocking 46.04 and did not advance into the semi final.
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- Inaki Gomez
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- Jessica Zelinka – London 2012
Canadian track and field athletes in action on day 3
| Name | Event | Local Time | Eastern Time |
| Sarah Wells | 400m Hurdles – Heats | 19:00 | 14:00 |
| Derek Drouin / Michael Mason |
High Jump – Qualifying | 19:05 | 14:05 |
| Justyn Warner | 100m – Semi Final | 19:45 | 14:45 |
| Nate Brannen | 1500m – Semi Final | 20:15 | 15:15 |
| Justyn Warner * | 100m – Final | 21:50 | 16:60 |
*pending earlier qualification
