Van Buskirk finally overcomes injuries to run to Tokyo Olympic standard in 5,000

LOS ANGELES — Kate Van Buskirk became the latest Canadian to race under the Tokyo Olympic standard. 

The Toronto native shaved 16 seconds off her personal best to run 14 minutes 59.8 seconds and finish fifth in the women’s 5,000 metres at the Sound Running Track Meet on Saturday night.

The Tokyo Olympic standard is 15:10.00. 

Canadian teammate Julie-Anne Staehli, who’d dipped under the Olympic standard a week earlier, finished sixth in a personal best 15:01.85.  

Mohammed Ahmed of Hamilton, Ont., won the men’s 5,000 is 13:18.49, rebounding from the 1,500 earlier in the day, from which he dropped out before finishing.

With COVID-19 restrictions in Canada, numerous Canadians are in the U.S. either trying to achieve Olympic standards or fine-tuning before Tokyo. 

Van Buskirk, who hadn’t raced in more than a year due to injuries, had been training in Flagstaff, Ariz., before flying to L.A.    

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2021.

The Canadian Press