Huskies’ Harrison, Lehner top U Sports track stars
A pair of University of Saskatchewan Huskies are crossing the finish line for the U Sports season in grand style.
Michelle Harrison and Karson Lehner were honoured Thursday as U Sports track athletes of the year at the U Sports track and field championships awards luncheon.
That follows a U Sports female track athlete of the year award won a year ago by U of S athlete Julianne Labach.
Harrison — who will cap off her U Sports career this weekend at U Sports nationals in Edmonton — has enjoyed a memorable season.
The Saskatoon Evan Hardy grad led Saskatchewan to a third straight Canada West conference title by winning gold in all three of her events — and breaking two conference records in the process.
Her time of 8.21 seconds in the 60-metre hurdles broke a record set by Olympian Jessica Zelinka.
“She was able to chase down one of the most prestigious Canada West athletes of all time,” U of S track and field coach Bob Reindl stated in a Huskies news release.
Harrison also won gold in the 60 metres and 4x200 relay in which the Huskies established a new conference-record time of 1:38.01.
“They had that record in their sights,” Reindl added, “and were able to execute perfectly.”
Harrison earned outstanding female performance of the meet and female track athlete of the year honours.
Lehner also had a record-breaking 2019-20 season.
The third-year Huskie broke a 33-year-old University of Saskatchewan record, as well as a Canada West conference record, with a time of 33.07 seconds in the 300 metres at the Canada West championship in Saskatoon.
The Prince Albert sprinter added a silver medal in the 60-metre race to help the Huskies place second overall, as a team, in the Canada West.
Like Harrison, Lehner won a pair of conference awards as he took outstanding male performance of the meet and male track athlete of the year honours.
Lehner set a Canada West record in an event that former Huskie standout and Olympian Cyprian Enweani once held for three decades until a year ago.
“It was just an exceptional run for a young man that is passionate and committed to pursuing excellence in everything that he does,” Reindl said.
Harrison and Lehner both competed at this year’s Knights of Columbus Indoor Games in the invitational events.