The York University Lions track and field team opened the 2019 U SPORTS championships on Thursday at the University of Manitoba with a gold medal performance from thrower Brittany Crew.
 
Crew got the Lions off to a great start by winning the gold medal in the weight throw in the first event of the meet. Crew's winning throw came on her second toss of the day, as she heaved her weight 18.78m to earn her fifth career U SPORTS gold medal and third in the weight throw. She bested second-place competitor Ariane Dubois of Sherbrooke by 44cm and third-place finisher Noemie Jeffrey of Laval by 1.33m. Crew was named the U SPORTS female field athlete of the year earlier in the day and will go for her sixth career U SPORTS gold medal in the shot put tomorrow.
 
Sprinter Xavier Joseph was the next Lion to compete in a final as he toed the line in the men's 60m sprint. Joseph, who won the gold the same event at the OUA championships just two weeks ago, qualified for the final by placing fourth in the preliminary heats in a time of 6.89 seconds. He got off to good start in the final and was challenging for medal when he pulled up halfway through the race with an injury, crossing the line in 8^th place in a time of 7.02 seconds.


 
The Lions relay teams had a successful day in their preliminary heats, as the women's 4x200m team of Simon Da Silva, Marvelous Agbonwaneten, Courtney Dwyer and Christy Ihunaegbo finished seventh and qualified for Saturday's final in a time of 1:40.92. On the men's side, the 4x200m team of Zeon Bass, Daniele Orsini, Tohma Van Bergen, and Mark Hutchinson also qualified for Saturday's final by finishing in eighth-place in a time of 1:28.78.
 
Also competing for the Lions on Day 1 was sprinter Monique Simon-Tucker in the women's 60m and middle distance runner Abdiaziz Ali in the men's 600m. Simon-Tucker, the OUA silver medalist in the 60m, placed 13^th in the event in a time of 7.85 seconds, while Ali finished in the fifth-place in his heat and ninth-place overall in a time of 1:21.96.


 
The Lions will be back in action tomorrow in what will be a busy second day of the championships for the squad. Day 2 will feature 16 medal events and will start with the men's weight throw at 12:30pm. U SPORTS field events male athlete of the year Pierce Lepage will see his first action of the meet for the Lions, as he will compete in the 60m hurdles, long jump and high jump events in what will be a busy day for the versatile athlete. In total, ten Lions will compete on Day 2.   
 
Team Standings
 
Men
1. Dalhousie Tigers - 12       
2. Toronto Varsity Blues - 8
3. Guelph Gryphons - 6       
4. Windsor Lancers - 5
5. Western Mustangs - 4      
6. Trinity Western Spartans - 3
7. York Lions - 1       
 
Women
1. Sherbrooke Vert-et-Or - 19       
2.  Saskatchewan Huskies - 14
3. Guelph Gryphons - 12       
4. Calgary Dinos - 11
5. Lethbridge Pronghorns - 10      
5. York Lions - 10
7. Laval Rouge-et-Or - 8       
7. Prince Edward Island Panthers - 8
7. Western Mustangs - 8      
10. Manitoba Bisons - 6
10. Dalhousie Tigers - 6      
12. Regina Cougars - 4
13. U de Montréal Carabins - 1                                       
 
Day 1 Results
 
Women's Weight Throw
1. Brittany Crew, York – 18.78m
2. Ariane Dubois, Sherbrooke – 18.34m
3. Noemie Jeffrey, Laval – 17.55m 

Women's 60m
1. Sandra Latrace, Lethbridge – 7.42
2. Bailey Smith, PEI – 7.49
3. Maya Reynolds, Dalhousie – 7.50 

Men's 60m
1. Matt Coolen, Dalhousie – 6.75
2. Alexander Lau, Toronto – 6.84
3. Kudakwashe Murasiranwe, Guelph – 6.84 

Women's Pentathlon
1. Niki Oudenaarden, Calgary – 4168
2. Amelie Auge, Sherbrooke – 3790
3. Nicole Ostertag, Saskatchewan – 3756