COMMONWEALTH GAMES CANADA AND ATHLETICS CANADA ANNOUNCE RECIPIENTS OF 2019 BRUCE WILKIE AWARDS

OTTAWA – Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) is proud to partner with Athletics Canada to announce the recipients of the 2019 Bruce Wilkie Awards. Bruce Wilkie was an ardent supporter of Commonwealth sport and its ability to empower Canadian youth. He strongly believed in sport and higher education as tools to develop the life long skills of young Canadian athletes to compete in today’s society. The Bruce Wilkie scholarships were presented at the Canadian Track & Field Championships held July 25-29th at the Claude Robillard Sports Complex in Montreal. Eligible athletes include provincially or nationally U23 ranked outdoor track, able and para middle and long distance runners (800m, 1500m, Mile, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m and 10000m) currently in school and aspiring to compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. 

"Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the Bruce Wilkie Awards,” said Richard Powers, CGC President. “We are pleased to partner with Athletics Canada on these awards. Bruce was a lifelong athlete with a deep passion and dedication to the Commonwealth sport movement and the Commonwealth Games and these scholarships are a fitting legacy in his name.” The recipients of the 2019 Bruce Wilkie Awards are:

Alex Drover (Kingston, ON) – Alex is a second-year varsity distance runner in track and cross-country at McMaster University, recently selected to be part of the Team Ontario - Ontario High Performance Sports Initiative (OHSPI). He is currently ranked 2nd provincially and 4th nationally in U23 men’s 3000m steeplechase. In 2018, he represented Canada at the IAAF World U20 Championships in Tampere Finland, where he qualified for the final (3rd Canadian to do so in the last 20 years) and finished 12th overall.

Courtney Hufsmith (Saskatoon, SK) – Courtney competes in a range of middle-distance/distance running events, ranging from the indoor 1000m to cross country 8km. Her primary focus is the 1500m, where she was ranked 3rd nationally in the 2018 outdoor season for age U23. She currently holds the Saskatchewan outdoor 1500m and indoor 3000m records, as well as, the 1500m and 3000m University of Saskatchewan squad records.

Nicole Hutchinson (Vancouver, BC) – A recent graduate of Villanova University, she is currently ranked first in the 2019 outdoor Canadian women's U23 rankings in the 1500m. In addition, she ended the 2018/19 indoor season ranked first in the mile in the Canadian U23 women’s rankings, as well as first in the Canadian U23 rankings in the 5000m.

“Congratulations to the recipients and thank you to Bruce and Janey Wilkie as well as Commonwealth Games Canada for their support of our sport and our athletes,” said David Bedford, Athletics Canada Chief Executive Officer. “The 2022 Commonwealth Games are an important competition in the development of our world-class athletes as they aspire to the 2024 Olympic Games."