'Nice to be at home': Canada’s top discus thrower excited about London, Ont. OFSAA Championship

Thousands to descend on London for OFSAA London will host the first OFSAA Track and Field Championship since 2010 next year. CTV's Brent Lale catches up with some local athletes.

Canada's best young discus thrower will be able to showcase her power in front of her hometown fans.

“We're traveling all the time, so whenever we don't have to travel it's nice,” said Julia Tunks, referring to being able to sleep in her own bed for an event.

Tunks, 16, recently smashed the Ontario senior high school discus record this month with a throw of 55.62 metres as a grade 11 student.

Next year she'll defend her OFSAA gold medal at home, after the City of London won the bid to host the provincial event.

“I think it's going to be nice especially because my grandma she's going to come and see me,” said Tunks, the daughter of former Olympians Jason Tunks and Lieja Koeman, who competed in discus and shot put respectively. “She doesn't often get a chance to come and watch me throw so it's going to be one of the last time she sees me throw before I go to college [at UCLA].”

The timing couldn't have been better for London to host.

Tunks is the OFSAA champ, and London's Sir Fredrick Banting Broncos won the overall boys OFSAA title in Ottawa.

“We had a lot of great results from throws, jumps and on the track,” said Todd Mackay, Broncos’ track coach, and co-chair of OFSAA London’s committee. “At the last OFSAA, the west region athletes are one of the stronger regions in the province for track and field and we get a chance to showcase our athletes here at home."

The last time London hosted the event was 13 years ago in 2010.

This time around, Tourism London expects to generate between $2-4 million in economic impact from the event with 2,900 athletes and 850 high schools coming to the city.

“When you think of all those athletes and their parents and family staying in hotels, going to the restaurants, and going to some of our attractions, it's certainly going to be a big impact,” said Zanth Jarvis, director of sport tourism at Tourism London.

He added, “We won't know the exact numbers until the event is complete, but we're expecting it's going to be a good impact for the city.”

That impact will double when two months later, Tourism London hosts the 2024 Ontario Summer Games in August.

The goal of the host committee is also to showcase Western's University’s new facility. Mackay said Western has a fast new track, which should produce excellent results.

In the pits, Tunks has plans to obliterate her own record next summer while trying to quality for the Olympic Games.

“I think the goal for next OFSAA would be to throw over 60 meters, defend my title, and get the records,” said Tunks.