NCAA Record Holders And Bowerman Finalists Set For Edmonton; Pre Classic Runner-Up Sarah Mitton Top Entry In Shot Put

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Tim Healy photo

Canada produced a Bowerman Award finalist last year with Christopher Morales Williams and will have another in 2025 with the announcement this week that Savannah Sutherland of Michigan is in the top three. 

Williams and Sutherland are both entered in Sunday's Edmonton Athletics Invitational, part of Canada's National Track and Field Tour. 

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The Canadian Track and Field Championships presented by Bell are July 30-Aug. 3 in Ottawa.

Williams, who starred at Georgia, has raced at three outdoor meets, most recently the Ostrava Golden Spike meet in the Czech Republic, where he finished third in the men's 400.

Williams is set to face Americans Paul Dedewo and Wil London. 

Sutherland, who broke the collegiate record in the womens' 400-meter hurdles when she ran 52.46 seconds in the NCAA Outdoor Championships, will be racing for the first time since that record-breaking run in Eugene. 

Sutherland was seventh at the Paris Olympic Games in the women's 400-meter hurdles. 

On Sunday, she's racing the 400 meters against top Canadian Lauren Gale and American Bailey Lear.

Yet another Bowerman Award finalist from 2024, Caleb Dean, formerly of Texas Tech, is also running Sunday in the men's 400-meter hurdles. That race includes Khallifah Rosser of the U.S. 

Dean, who runs for Adidas, competed on the first three legs of Grand Slam Track and last competed on June 1 at Philadelphia.  

Sarah Mitton, who placed second in the women's shot put at last week's Prefontaine Classic, is also confirmed for Edmonton. Mitton threw 20.39m (66-10.75). 

Mitton will pursue her fifth consecutive national championship in the shot put at the end of the month. 

Antoher featured event on the women's side is the hammer, where Americans Rachel Richeson and Annette Echikunwoke will compete against recent NCAA champion Stephanie Ratcliffe (Australia), who helped Georgia win the team title.