Posted: March 17, 2009  :

Athletics: Athletics Canada names 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships team

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 OTTAWA – Athletics Canada announced today the team that will compete at the 2009 World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan.  The championships, which take place March 28, 2009 in Amman, will mark the first time in the championships’ history that they are held in the Middle East.  While much of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan which spans the southern part of the Syro-Arabian desert down to the Gulf of Aqaba is covered by desert, the north-western area in which the capital city of Amman is situated is part of what is known as the Fertile Crescent.  Geneviève Lalonde of Moncton, NB returns to the international stage after finishing as one of the top Canadian juniors at the 2008 edition of this event in Great-Britain.  Earlier this month in Florida Lalonde led the women’s junior team to victory with a gold medal performance at the NACAC (North America, Central America and Caribbean) Cross Country Championships. Other athletes on the radar for Worlds are Catherine Cormier of New Richmond, QC in the senior women’s race and Mohammed Ahmed of St. Catherine’s, ON in the junior men’s Race; both athletes were the top Canadians in their respective races at the NACAC Championships. 2009 World Cross Country Team Name Hometown Personal Coach SENIOR MEN (12km course)   Joël Bourgeois Grand-Digue, NB Independent Alex Genest Sherbrooke, QC Vincent Paquet Saheed Khan Toronto, ON David Christiani Derek Nakluski Kitchener, ON Terry Goodenough SENIOR WOMEN 8km   Marilyn Arsenault Victoria, BC             Jon Brown Catherine Cormier New Richmond, QC Kaven Després Rachelle Malette Windsor, ON Andy Hahn Chantell Widney Edmonton, AB        Glen Playfair Chantelle Wilder London, ON Steve Weiler JUNIOR MEN 8km   Mohammed Ahmed St. Catharine’s, ON Stuart Galloway Aleksandr Kuternin Toronto, ON Paul Poce James Leakos Saskatoon, SK                     RossAnn Edwards / Mark Leakos Nyjal Majock Calgary, AB Christine Laverty / Jason Lindsay John Paul Malette Windsor, ON Gary Malloy Mattias Wolter Bridgewater, NS Tanya Daniels JUNIOR WOMEN 6km   Stephanie Aldea Windsor, ON Ryan Turner Chelsea Graham Edmonton, AB  Glen Playfair Tamara Jewett Toronto, ON Jill Mallon Justine Johnson Victoria, BC            Brent Fougner Geneviève Lalonde Moncton, NB Joël Bourgeois Caroline Pfister Sherbrooke, QC      Simon Croteau SUPPORT STAFF                Position Name Hometown Team Leader Thelma Wright Vancouver, BC Head Coach David Christiani Toronto, ON Team Coach Glen Playfair Edmonton, AB Team Manager Christopher Moulton Guelph, ON Team Physician Dr. Shelby Karpman Edmonton, AB Physiotherapist Connie Beukeboom Collingwood, ON At the 2008 World Cross Country Championships the women’s junior team finished 5th, the men’s junior team 7th, the senior women’s team 12th, and the senior men’s team was 14th. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest