(SAINT JOHN, NB) The facility that will host the 2020 Subway Atlantic University Sport Track and Field Championships is ready for its big weekend.
Saint John’s Irving Oil Field House, which opened earlier this year, features the biggest and most modern Track and Field facilities in eastern Canada.
“The facility, in all ways, has exceeded our hopes in terms of usability for a training location and performance for competition,” said Bill MacMackin, president of the Field House project committee. “We are confident we have a fast track surface, and are excited to see the region’s top university athletes competing here later this season.”
The Irving Oil Field House boasts a six-lane 200-metre oval track, an eight-lane 60-metre sprint track with a 30-metre run-off area, a jump pit with a 40-metre runway, with boards at two-metres, for long jump, and 9, 11, and 13 metres, for triple jump, a pole vault pit with a 40-metre runway, and a throwing area with a full safety cage.
“The first thing I thought when I walked into the Field House was how huge it was,” said Victoria LeBlanc, of the UNB Reds track and field team. “I couldn’t believe that we finally have an indoor track and that I get to train on it every day.”
The Reds will host the 2020 Subway AUS Track and Field Championships, at the Field House, February 21stand 22nd. It will mark the first time in almost 40 years that the conference championships have been held outside of Moncton.
The Field House played host to UNB’s own ‘Red & Black Meet’ in November, the first event in the new facility for LeBlanc and her teammates.
“It was really exciting to compete there for the first time,” said LeBlanc. “Being able to open my last season as a Red at home was special. I’m very excited for the AUS Championships, because competing on a track that is actually 200m, with real boards for jumps, a throw circle and access to pole vault will definitely be a game-changer for our conference.”
Chris Belof agrees.
The head coach of the UNB Reds track and field team believes the Irving Oil Field House will benefit all competitors, not just the Reds.
“It will put the AUS on the map and level the playing field for the region,” said Belof. “We’re eager to host the AUS Championships this season and the U SPORTS Championships next season. It’ll set our program up to move into the direction of competing as a top ten program nationally.”
While likely aiding performance, the facility is expected to help UNB’s recruiting, should produce some growth in the popularity of the sport in the region, and in southwestern New Brunswick specifically.
“Before we had this, track and field practices were in the UNBSJ gymnasium,” said LeBlanc. “Having this indoor facility will help keep New Brunswick track and field athletes in the province for university and hopefully help UNB recruit athletes from outside of the province.”
The Field House will host five more track and field events this season, including the AUS Championships.
The 2021 U SPORTS Track and Field Championships will take place there March 11-13 of 2021.
More than 250 student-athletes are expected to attend and compete, and it will be the first time the Atlantic conference has hosted the national university championship meet.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Kevin Barrett/for UNB Athletics