Chloe Turner and Aaron Thompson named Under Armour U Sports Athletes of the Week

Canadian Running and Under Armour have teamed up for the 2024 Canadian U Sports indoor track and field season to highlight some of the top homegrown talents across the country. Each week, leading up to the 2024 U Sports Indoor Track and Field Championships in Winnipeg next month, Canadian Running will select one male and female track and field athlete as the Under Armour Athlete of the Week.

The award will go to a male and female U Sports track and field athlete who achieved a standout performance, broke a school record or crushed a personal best. These athletes will be featured on Canadian Running and awarded an Under Armour prize pack featuring the new UA Infinite Elite training shoe. This week we highlight another two sensational athletes who shattered school records: Aaron Thompson of the University of Western Ontario and distance runner Chloe Turner of the University of Calgary, for their performances between Feb. 5 and Feb. 11.

Female Athlete of the Week: Chloe Turner–women’s 3,000m

Chloe Turner ran to a 19-second personal best in the women’s 3,000m last Saturday at the Husky Classic in Seattle. Turner’s time of 9:15.37 is the top mark in U Sports this year over 3,000m by 10 seconds, and puts her 20 seconds under the U Sports Championship standard. What’s even more remarkable is that she is only in her first year of competing at the U Sports level and is already tearing up the track.

“I was really happy with the race; the last few years, I’ve been focusing on the 5,000m and the 1,500m, and haven’t gotten a good chance to see what I could accomplish in the 3,000m,” says Turner. “This was an awesome opportunity to see what I could do.”

At 18, Turner is one of the country’s best up-and-coming young athletes. Last year, she won U20 Pan-Am gold in the 5,000m and an individual Canadian Cross Country title in the women’s U20 race, which earned her an opportunity to represent Canada at the World XC Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, this March.

With fast results come big goals, and Turner isn’t shying away from the spotlight. “I think I’m capable of doing better, and I look forward to getting the chance to race some girls in Canada in the next few weeks at the CanWest conference championships,” says Turner. “I’m also super excited to represent Canada at the World Cross Country Championships in Serbia later this spring!”

Turner is coached by former Canadian Olympian in the women’s 5,000m, Jessica O’Connell, at the University of Calgary.

Male Athlete of the Week: Aaron Thompson–men’s 60m

Last weekend at the University of Windsor Team Challenge in Windsor, Ont., Aaron Thompson ran a new personal best of 6.72 seconds in the men’s 60m. His electrifying time is the fastest 60m time in U Sports this year and ranks sixth in the discipline among Canadian sprinters in 2024. Accolades for his breakout performance did not stop there; he also set a new Western Mustangs school record. Later, in the 300m event, Thompson recorded his second-fastest time of the season (34.15), which earned him the top spot at the Windsor Team Challenge.

“I was happy with the race and honoured to get the school record,” says Thompson on his performance. “I just ran a race that I was comfortable with; I didn’t even know it was a good time until I got swarmed by my teammates.”

This is his first season competing for the University of Western Ontario after running for the University of Waterloo during his undergrad program. “I’m new to Western and super lucky to be surrounded by such good coaches and teammates who push me to be the best athlete I can be.”

Heading into the conference championships, Thompson will be ranked #1 in the OUA conference in both the 60m and 300m. “I would love to have a solid performance at U Sports,” says Thompson. “There’s a chance I get on the podium in four events, so that’s a good goal for me to work towards even if it’s a bold one.”

Thompson reveals that he got a late start to sprinting and is currently focused on learning more about the sport and enjoying the process. “I’d love to keep competing for as long as I can make it work,” he says. “This summer I’ll be competing outdoors and would love to come top 10 in the 400m at the Olympic Trials, but we’ll see!”

Dawson Mann and Amy Stieh named Under Armour U Sports Athletes of the Week

If you would like to nominate a Canadian U Sports athlete for Under Armour Athlete of the Week, send @canadianrunning a message on Instagram or email marley@runningmagazine.ca.