Canadian AOY

Christopher named Athletics Canada athlete of the year

Tyler Christopher. (AP Photo/Thomas Kienzle)
OTTAWA (CP) - Sprinter Tyler Christopher has capped his stellar season with a pair of awards. Athletics Canada has awarded the Edmonton native the Jack W. Davies trophy as the outstanding overall athlete in 2005 as well as the Phil A. Edwards Memorial trophy as the top athlete in track events.

Christopher took home the bronze medal in the 400 metres at the world championships in Helsinki, Finland. His third-place finish set a new Canadian record with a time of 44.44 seconds, breaking his own mark of 44.69.

Christopher also posted a second-place finish in the Weltklasse Golden League meet in Zurich and won a gold medal at the Gaz de France Golden League meet.

High jumper Mark Boswell of Brampton, Ont., is the winner of the Cal D. Bricker Memorial trophy as Athletics Canada’s top athlete in jump events and the winner of the F.N.A Rowell award as the top athlete in field events.

Boswell was fourth at the world championships and a silver medallist at the nationals. It’s the third time in four years that he has captured both awards.

Jason Tunks of London, Ont., earned the Eric E. Coy trophy as the top athlete in throwing events for the fourth straight year. Tunks won the gold in the discus at the Canadian championships and finished eighth at the world championships.

Alan Bergman of Cobble Hill, B.C., has been awarded the Fred Begley trophy as the top marathon or off-track race walking athlete. Bergman won the marathon gold medal in the open wheelchair division at the European Open Paralympic championships.

The Fred Tees trophy for the top Canadian athlete enrolled at a Canadian university went to Jessica Zelinka of London, Ont. The heptathlete won gold at the Canadian championships and was 11th at the world championships.

Mike Woods of Ottawa was named the junior athlete of the year while Elizabeth Gleadle of Burnaby, B.C., and Justin Marpole-Bird of Vancouver earned top youth honours.

The award winners will be honoured at a ceremony during Athletics Canada’s annual general meeting in May 2006.

Actually his name is Tyler Christoper not Chris Tyler!

ok, i’ll correct. i didn’t know.
kk

I know it’ hard to keep track of names down there in New Zealand!