Trinity Western’s Nick Colyn (Langley) will represent Canada at the IAAF World U20 Championships this year in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The Spartan steeplechaser earned the right to compete at the biennial event after clocking the fastest 3000m SC time in the country among junior-eligible athletes earlier this year.
Colyn qualified for the World U20 Championships when he posted a personal record time of 9:02.91 at the Stumptown Twilight in Portland June 23. His performance earned him the necessary qualifying time and put him atop the Canadian U20 ranking in the event.
While Colyn’s training schedule has been geared towards preparing for the World U20 Championships, he still managed to win a bronze medal in the junior 3000 m steeplechase at last weekend’s Canadian Championships. He posted a time of 9:15.80.
At the World U20 Championships, the men’s 3000m steeplechase heats are set for July 21 at 1 a.m. (PT). The final is slated for July 24 at 7:20 a.m. (PT).
Colyn is the second Spartan to ever qualify for the IAAF World U20 Championships, after Regan Yee (South Hazelton, B.C.) also did so in the 3000 m steeplechase in 2014.
In his first year with TWU, Colyn was the Spartans' fifth-best runner at the U Sports cross country championships, finishing 61st overall.