Race protest victory helps Western Mustangs win Men’s Track and Field title for second straight year

The Western Mustangs Men’s Track and Field team has defended its U SPORTS title. (Source: U SPORTS)

The Western Mustangs are Canadian Champions once again.

The Men’s Track and Field Team – ranked fourth in the country coming into the U SPORTS nationals – captured the title for the second straight year, this time in dramatic fashion after a race protest.

A Guelph Gryphon was disqualified in the 4x200 relay after making contact with a Mustangs runner.

Guelph was penalized, dropping from 64 to 56 points, and propelling the Mustangs from third to first place with 58 points after the protest.

Western would finish with 65 points to win the Men’s title, which also earned first-year head coach Caroline Ehrhardt Coach of the Year honours for the men.

Western collected points in eight different events, lead by Jackson Mackay who set a new U SPORTS record in the heptathlon, securing gold with 5,607 points, beating the previous mark of 5,374.

Mackay, who entered nationals having already passed the U SPORTS meet record in the heptathlon with 5,753 points, cruised to a 326-point victory for gold. He earned 5,607 points over seven events, including 972 in a substantial win in the 60m hurdles, an event he also earned four points for during the individual event earlier in the day.

Mackay had the top result in four events, and tied for first in the pole vault, capping an incredible season that saw him earn U SPORTS Male Rookie of the Year honours, as well as OUA Rookie of the Year recognition in football, where he shone as a defensive back.

Liv Sands won a third straight gold in shot put (17.67m); Sophie Coutts won the Women’s 3000m with a final time of 9:55.66, and Arman Shahzadeh won the Men’s Long Jump on his final attempt at 7.56m.

Ehrhardt preached togetherness while getting emotional after the event.

“It’s a lot of the sideline stuff. It’s not necessarily what’s going on the track, or the runway and the circle. We do a really good job winning the sidelines. We genuinely want it for each other so bad,” Ehrhardt told U SPORTS after the meet.

“That comes through in the way that we’re able to support one another. They’re really able to find the team element of an otherwise very individual sport, and I think that’s what sets them apart. We genuinely want it for each other so bad. We train in close proximity. Our entire team of 100 people train at the same time every day. I don’t think that’s super normal. Constantly being around each other and having that collision of space allows us to have these relationships and dynamics that when we get here, we’re ready to support each other through everything.”

The Mustangs women’s team finished fourth with 66 points, 39 behind champion Guelph.

St. Thomas, Ont. thrower AJ Stanat was also golden once again.

The Windsor Lancer earned the title as top shot putter in the nation with a throw of 18.24m for gold.

It’s the second straight year he’s won the event to go along with a silver medal in 2024.