The York University Lions track and field team kicked off 2023 with a great start, setting 21 personal bests, amassing nine podium finishes and achieving 26 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship standards. And as the year comes to an end, the team achieved another 14 OUA standards as well as 14 personal bests and 17 seasonal bests, earlier this month, hosting the York Holiday Open.

While current athletes are right on track excelling in their fields bringing pride to the University throughout the year, a couple of York Lions alumni were having a truly memorable moment in late October. Beach volleyball partners Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson were flag bearers for Team Canada marching into the Opening Ceremony of Santiago 2023 Pan Am Games, and winning silver in the women’s finals.

Another notable event of the year for Lions was alumni Pierce LePage and Khamica Bingham competing at the 2023 World Athletics Championship in August, in Budapest, Hungary.

LePage, the former Lion decathlete who won a pair of medals July at the Canadian national championships, struck gold for Canada at the competition. Meanwhile Bingham, who has competed in two Olympic Games for Canada and won gold in the 100m at nationals in July, finished tied for fourth in her heat at the worlds, which did not qualify her for the semi-finals. The win for Bingham at nationals in July was her third national title.

Speaking of alumni, Steven Chuang, who is a York community policy and planning graduate, was named as the new executive director for Athletics & Recreation, this year.

With Chuang as a leader committed to a culture of excellence and an inclusive environment that athletes would feel welcomed in, we can rest assured of York Lions athletes’ continued success.