Press Release
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Athletics: Aigles in Saint John this weekend
The wait was long and the training sometimes difficult without having a date for a definitive competition.
The members of the Aigles Bleues and the Aigles Bleus track and field teams of the Université de Moncton have held on, and their patience will see a certain reward this weekend with a first competition on Friday and Saturday at the indoor track in Saint John.
Head coach Steve LeBlanc has found all kinds of ways to keep his athletes engaged since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago. He is now happy and excited to see a first competition this weekend and the Atlantic University Sport Championship later in March at the CEPS Louis-J.-Robichaud on the Moncton campus.
“This will be an important preparation for our athletes and our first competition since February 2020, in two years,” said the coach. “We are excited to go. It's a chance for half the team to gain experience from a competition. For the past two years, we have held many training sessions, but not a real competition. Athletes will have the chance to get acquainted with various important aspects, such as being present at the site, knowing the stages such as getting to the track, warming up, what to do once they arrive at the starting line, and others. You can only have this experience in one way, a competition. We were able to motivate the athletes with times or distances, depending on their discipline. However, it was difficult to motivate yourself all the time without a competition at the end.”
Joëlle Léger is an athlete looking forward to this first competition. “It's exciting to return to competition after a two-year absence,” she said. “We want to do well as a team in Saint John. We want to give ourselves a good base, perform well and be happy with our performances. We did a lot of preparations, more specific training with the focus of rebuilding the technique. It was difficult, but we had good supervision and activities at home.” She is a psychology student.
Monty Christian Kpan begins his third season with the Aigles Bleus. He is looking forward to competitions in Saint John. “It will be a good mental preparation,” he said after two years without competition. “We take advantage of our training to be physically ready. Racing requires physical exertion. I trained regularly.” Monty is a fifth-year engineering student.
It was difficult for some to motivate themselves, but for Véronique Omalosanga, she was able to get through the various stages of the ups and downs of training. “Having no competition plays a role when you come to the track,” she said. “There are big debates between us, but with the help of the coach, team members and the environment, it helps us to train. I feel it if I'm ready for a competition.” She is pursuing studies in health.
The Aigles Bleus competing are: Gabriel Gagné - 60m, 300m, 4x200m; Noah Langille - 60m, 300m, 4x200m; Lucas Poirier, 60m, 4x200m; Samuel Robichaud - 60m, 300m, 4x200m; Jasmin Tardif - 60m, length, 4x200m; Jérémie Thériault - 60m, long, triple jump; Jonathan Roy, 1000m, mile; Yannick Boudreau - long, high, shot put; Samuel Bourque – shot put, hammer; Monty Kpan – heptathlon; Max Mazerolle – heptathlon; and Steve Richard – heptathlon.
The Aigles Bleues are Destiny Crabbe - 60m, 4x200m; Valérie Déry - 60m, shot put, long, 4x200m; Charlotte Neander - 60m; Véronique Omalosanga - 60m, 300m, 4x200m; Hannah Levyssohn - mile, 3000m; Caroline Gagnon - 60m hurdles, 4x200m; Joëlle Léger - long, high, 4x200m; Kyla Hughes – shot put, hammer; Rachelle Haché – shot put, hammer; Martine Haché – shot put and Natalie Fleming – shot put.
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