It wasn't all that long ago that the men's 3000m steeplechase in Canada was dominated by the Speed River Track and Field Club. There was Alex Genest, Chris Winter, Taylor Milne, and, before he took on the marathon, Rob Watson. Those guys, along with Bowerman's Matt Hughes were the pillars for the event in this country. After the Rio games in 2016 Genest, Winter and Milne retired, leaving a pretty big hole in the event and questions of what would happen as far as international representation would go. Of course, Matt Hughes was (and is) still running, but every other steepler who achieved the men's Olympic standard was gone. If I had to guess though, I would say that that void would likely be filled by the club who had filled it in the past.
Right now in Guelph, they have one of the best female steeplers in the world in Genevieve Lalonde, an Olympic and World Championship finalist and national record holder. She has been getting better with every season, and it's easy to see why when watching the team workout. On the men's side, they have a couple of young guys who are ready to make their mark, and represent their country.
On this week's episode, we take a look at the steeplechase program in Guelph. We'll chat with some notable runners from the past (Chris Winter and Alex Genest), the present (Genevieve Lalonde and Chris Dulhanty) and the future (Josh Kellier).
Source: Trackie Radio