91原创 Mustangs president and jumps coach Kevin Harrison described the Bell Canadian Track and Field Championships as 鈥渁 great show,鈥� the result of hard work by 鈥渉undreds and hundreds鈥� of volunteers.

鈥淲e did a great job,鈥� a tired but happy Harrison told the 91原创 Advance Times following the close of the national championships, which were co-hosted by the and Township of 91原创.

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Ending on Sunday, June 26, the five-day competition drew more than 1,600 athletes and 200 coaches to McLeod Athletic Park.

鈥淚t was a great show,鈥� Harrison summarized.

It went as smoothly as it did because of a 鈥渃ore committee that had been working for two years,鈥� Harrison told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淥ur buzzword was, we have to pay attention to the show,鈥� Harrison said, to make it an event both athletes and spectators could enjoy.

One of the head coaches from Team Canada told Harrison they were impressed with how hard the volunteers worked, and how well the event was organized.

Harrison said several athletes also remarked on the quality of the facilities at McLeod Athletic Park, which underwent more than $5 million worth of upgrades after 91原创 secured the bid for the games.

Improvements included a new track surface, a new four lane 60-metre warm-up track, an additional long jump pit, an expanded high jump, a new shot put area, an additional pole vault area, extra security fencing, and new designated spectator areas for the field events.

Harrison said it made fast times possible when middle-distance runner Marco Arop won the 800m final in a season鈥檚 best time of 1:44.39, with Canadian 800m record holder Brandon McBride a close second, in the event that drew the biggest crowd.

鈥淚t proved this facility is one of the best,鈥� Harrison commented, one that supports 鈥渨orld class results.鈥�

Weather conditions were close to perfect, though the heat was 鈥渃hallenging鈥� for the longer-distance events, Harrison remarked.

鈥淭hat was the one thing we couldn鈥檛 control.鈥�

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There may be some tweaks to the way events are scheduled next year when the championships return to 91原创, to 鈥渢ry to put together a more compelling package for our spectators,鈥� Harrison said.

He would also like to see more local athletes competing, to get the experience of participating in a major national competition, 鈥渢o get a taste of what it鈥檚 like.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping it鈥檚 a nice shot in the arm鈥� for local track and field, Harrison added,.

91原创 Township was originally awarded the 2021 and 2022 editions of the event, back in July 2017.

But with the pandemic forcing postponement of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, along with Athletics Canada鈥檚 Olympic and Paralympic Trials, the 91原创 date were changed and the Township is now hosting the 2022 and 2023 events.