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Ellenwood and Filip take Pan American Combined Events Cup in Ottawa
Canada’s Georgia Ellenwood and USA’s Scott Filip capped their 2018 season on a high note by taking the Pan American Combined Events Cup in Ottawa, part of the IAAF World Combined Events Challenge, held at Ottawa’s Terry Fox Athletics Facility July 3-4.
The 23-year old Canadian ended her best season yet. After breaking the 6000-point barrier for the first time in her career and twice over 6100 including her NCAA title, Ellenwood over took Day 1 leader Chari Hawkins of the USA in the Javelin and held on to take her first international title under very warm conditions during the two days of competition.
Also enjoying her best campaign so far, 27-year old Hawkins took an early lead thanks to a swift 13.48 in 100m Hurdles and a season’s best of 1.81m in the High Jump. Sitting on top after the first day with a 3,593 total, 17 more than the Canadian, she kept the lead in the Long Jump (6.03m to Ellenwood’s 6.02m).
The Javelin was the turning point with Ellenwood throwing 42.25m, over a metre than Hawins’ best effort of 41.01m. That put the NCAA champion ahead of Hawinks by a mere four points going into the final event.
Paced by fellow Canadians, Dallyssa Huggins and defending champion Nicole Oudenaarden, Ellenwood broke way clear from Hawinks on the first lap and finished strong to secure the win with 6026 points, 22 ahead of the American.
“Four points is certainly not a lot going into the 800m so you need to be confident I am a pretty good 800m runner so I just needed to do what I have been doing all year so I had a decent first and a last 150m so I am happy to come out here and compete in Ottawa again and have a good competition,” said Ellenwood.
“I didn’t expect to score over 600 points but my expectations have go higher after scoring 6100 twice so it was really nice to come out here and be able to score 6000 points so it gives me a lot of confidence going into the offseason and into next year. I have a couple of minor injuries. Nothing too bad so I will just focus on healing and getting back into good shape to be excited to compete again next year,” she added.
Hawkins was rewarded with her second score over 6000 points. “Honestly this is one of the most proud I have ever been of myself. I actually started the heptathlon injured I to push through and rely on my family, my friends and my teammates and my body. I have never been so proud of myself to compete for team USA on the 4th of July I couldn’t ask for anything more under the circumstances,” she stated.
She also had words of praise for her closest rival. “Georgia is an amazing athlete and so much fun to compete with. She is also an amazing 800m runner. I knew I had to stay close to her but unfortunately, I was way behind on the first lap. But I told myself you only get one more chance to try to make a run at it so knuckled down and tried to push through anything I had left but she had an incredible kick at the end so I was not able to overcome her but I was super proud of myself. It was my second best 800m ever.”
Hawinks also credited her teammates for her performance despite suffering from hamstring in her cavs. The heptathlon “is such a fun event There is such a sisterhood. We help each other. We cheer for each other and we hope each other does their very best. Lindsay has been my training partner for the past two years at Santa Barbara Track Club and Jaclyn and I made the first USA team for the Thorpe Cup last year. I was sure I was going to finish. I was cramping all day and did not think I was going to finish. They were supporting, hyping me up and they are the reason I was able to finish”.
Defending champion Nicole Oudenaarden settled for bronze with 5833.
The men’s competition became a USA affair after the early departure of 2017 Taylor Steward and the absence of defending champion Pierce Lepage from Canada.
Competing in his fourth decathlon of the year, Scott Filip set the pace with the best performances in 100m (10.66), equalling his season’s best, and the Long Jump (7.48m) to finish Day 1 with a 4185-point total, 164 more than his closest rival, fellow American Mitch Modin.
The University of Rice graduate increased his lead to 224 points following the 110m Hurdles and that proved to be unsurmountable as Filip went on to regain a title first won in 2016.
He scored 7643 points and led an USA sweep in the men’s competition with Modin (7495) and Jack Flood (7376) joining him on the podium.
This victory “means everything. Just like my other teammates being able to compete for the United States and wear that name USA on your chest is pretty much the highest honour you can have as a track and field athlete, so I have incredible gratitude to our coaching staff and decision makers to allow me to be on this USA team”, said the winner.
Filip keep great memories of Ottawa, where he first competed internationally, in 2016 and won the Cup, following an elbow surgery earlier that year.
“The decathlon is a grueling competition and ultimately we have to face individuals but being out here with a great group of guys no matter who you are competing with we know exactly how we are feeling We feed off from each other’s energy to keep push ourselves to do the best we can individually through all these events and once we cross the finish line it’s all hugs we look forward to sharing our memories with everybody else, “ added Filip, who looks forward to spending time with family and friends in his hometown of Chicago.
Combing the best two results per country, Canada lifted the women’s Pan American Cup while the USA won the men’s division and the overall Cup adding the performances of men and women.
The younger divisions went to Puerto Rico’s Yariel Soto (6997) and Canada’s Chloé Royce (4892) in the U20 category. Canadians Owen McDonald and Shae Ledevehat topped the U18 divisions.
The next stop of the IAAF Combined Events Challenge will be the European Championships in Berlin, in August.
Ellenwood y Filip conquistan Copa Panamericana de Pruebas Combinadas en Ottawa
La canadiense Georgia Ellenwood y el estadounidense Scott Filip cerraron su temporada 2018 de la mejor forma al conquistar la Copa Panamericana de Pruebas Combinadas en Ottawa, insertada en el Challenge de Pruebas Combinadas de la IAAF.
La canadiense de 23 años de edad cerró la mejor campaña de su vida. Tras superar la barrera de los 6000 y 6100 puntos dos veces, entre ellos el título universitario de Estados Unidos, Ellenwood supero a la estadounidense Chari Hawkins, líder de la competencia hasta quinta prueba, en la jabalina para lograr su primer éxito internacional tras dos días bajo intenso calor.
Protagonista también de su mejor temporada, Hawkins salio adelante gracias a sus 13.48 en 100m con vallas y su mejor desempeño en el salto de altura esta año (1.81m). Al término del primer día acumuló 3593 puntos, 17 más que Ellenwood y mantuvo la ventaja al inicio del segundo día en el salto de longitud (6.03m por 6.02 de su rival).
El lanzamiento de la jabalina resulto decisivo para Ellenwood, quien lanzó el implemento a 42.25m, más de un metro superior a los 41.01m de Hawins para ponerse al frente con apenas cuatro puntos de diferencia con respecto a Hawkins.
En la ultima prueba (800m), Ellenwood siguió el paso de sus compatriotas Dallyssa Huggins y la campeona defensora Nicole Oudenaarden para separarse de Hawinks en la primera vuelta. Cerró fuerte en los últimos metros para acumular 6026 puntos, 22 más que la estadounidense.
“Cuatro puntos no es mucho en 800m así que debes tener mucha confianza en ti y soy una buena corredora de 800m. Hice lo que he hecho este año. Tuve una buena primera vuelta y cerré bien en los últimos 150m. Estoy feliz de competir aquí en Ottawa y ganar el oro para Canadá”, dijo Ellenwood.
Nicole Oudenaarden completa el podio con 5833 puntos.
El concurso masculino tuvo como principales protagonistas a los decatletas de Estados Unidos tras la ausencia de los canadienses Pierce Lepage, campeón defensor, y Taylor Steward, medallista de plata en 2017.
En su cuatro decatlon del año, Scott Filip marco el paso con los mejores resultados en 100m (10.66) y salto de longitud (7.48m) para cerrar el primer día al frente con 4185 puntos, 164 sobre su más cercano rival, el también estadounidense Mitch Modin.
Graduado de la Universidad de Rice, Filip aumento la ventaja a 224 puntos tras los 110m con vallas y esa diferencia resultó insuperable para reconquistar el cetro continental ganado ya en Ottawa en 2016.
Filip, de 23 años de edad, totalizó 7643 puntos y fue acompañado en el podio por sus compatriotas Modin (7495) y Jack Flood (7376).
Esta Victoria “significa todo. Al igual que mis compañeros vestir el uniforme de Estados Unidos es el mayor honor que un atleta puede tener. Agradezco a los entrenadores y oficiales por permitirme integrar el equipo de Estados Unidos. Feliz por ganar el oro y sobretodo el dia de la independencia,” dijo Filip.
Al combinar los resultados de los dos atletas por cada país, Canadá conquistó la Copa Panamericana en las damas y Estados Unidos lo hizo en los varones y de forma general al combinar ambos sexos.
En otras categorías, Yariel Soto (6997) dio el oro a Puerto Rico entre los hombres sub-20, al igual que la canadiense Chloé Royce (4892) entre las damas. En la categoría sub-18, el triunfo correspondió a los locales Owen McDonald y Shae Ledevehat.
Source: Javier Clavelo
Pictures: Brian Rouble – MORE PICTURES HERE
