Mackay, Tunks capture gold, shatter records at Canadian championships

Jackson Mackay and Julia Tunks have returned home from the Bell Canadian Track and Field Championships with not only gold medals but meet records.

Tunks broke the senior women’s discus mark with a throw of 60.68 metres while Mackay cruised to the U-20 decathlon title setting a new mark of 7,652 points, winning by 975 points over his nearest competitor.

Tunks, whose sister Jenna also won the U-20 discus for a second year in a row at just 15 years old, wasn’t overly confident heading into the meet in Ottawa.

“I was really nervous going into this meet because I hadn’t been performing very well the last few months, and honestly I was debating stopping my season,” said Tunks, while training at Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School.

“But I have really nothing to lose this year, and I’m trying to make Tokyo [2025 World Championships] so I might as well just give it my best go. Then I came out there and I reclaimed my title, hit the meet record, and threw over 60 [metres]. I was really happy with it and now I’m looking forward to going to NACAC (North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships in Bahamas) and hopefully going to Tokyo.”

Tunks will need to be in the top 36 in the world rankings to earn a berth at the World Championships in September. She current sits around 30th in the world, and her father and coach Jason Tunks says “it would be mathematically impossible” for her not to qualify.

“It would be one dream come true of many, but it’s a step in the right direction,” says Julia.

Tunks went into the meet with a pair of goals, “I wanted to throw 62 [metres] and get closer to my national record,” she said.

“I had a meet the week before and it was really bad, so I was like, you know what? I just want to go in and I want to win because I lost last year. And I was like, I, that doesn’t feel nice. Step one, come in, reclaim my title, and then throw 60m and I did both on the day. I was really happy”.

Mackay, who crushed the competition, won nine of his 10 events in the grueling decathlon enroute to the meet record.

“I had to take care of my body for sure,” says Mackay. “That was probably the one thing that was most important. After every event, just kind of stretching out and getting physio a couple of times. I think pushing my limits and doing the best I can and trying my best in every event kind of led towards that success.”

After winning in 2024 with 7,158 points, he came in with his sights on the previous meet record of 7,592 points.

“I was my kind of like reach for the stars, and we ended up getting it,” says Mackay. “I was super proud of it. That was what I had set out and got it done”.

There will not be much rest for either after the win as Tunks prepares for the meet in the Bahamas in 10 days, and Mackay heads straight into Western Mustangs Football training camp Friday.

“I’m going to go do my football season, will do my best out there and do what I can and know what I know what I’m capable of. Once track starts up, I’m going to go fully at it and, you know, do as much as I can, you know, train as hard as I can.”

He had an offer to attend the University of Cincinnati for Track and Field but ultimately decided to stay close to home and be a two-sport athlete at Western.

“I think playing two sports is very beneficial,” says Mackay. “I’ve heard a lot of elite athletes say, ’Do as many sports as you can until you can’. I think football will help a lot with my explosiveness and kind of just like that grit that I need for that next level.”