A new name topped the podium in the women’s 800m final at the Canadian Track and Field Championships on Saturday night in Ottawa—and it wasn’t the one most fans expected.
Maeliss Trapeau, a 25-year-old runner based in Martigues, France, stunned the crowd by edging out Canadian Olympian Jazz Shukla, stopping the clock in 2:01.79.
Shukla took the race out hard, leading through 400m in 57.8 seconds. But Trapeau, following her coach’s instructions to stay patient and tucked in, on Shukla’s heels. With 200 metres to go, she made her move and outkicked Shukla to win by more than a tenth of a second. Shukla was second to the finish line in 2:01.95, and Jenica Swartz of the Edmonton Columbians track club was third in 2:02.46.
Trapeau has had a breakout year in France, dipping under the two-minute barrier for the first time this season with a 1:59.09 in Toulouse. Born in Canada and a former student-athlete at the University of Ottawa (where she studied biotechnology), Trapeau has lived and trained in France for the past four years.
She previously competed for France at the 2018 World U20 Championships in Finland but has since transferred her international allegiance to Canada. She is currently awaiting final approval from World Athletics to be eligible to represent Canada on the global stage.
Arop wins nail-biting men’s 800m final
Saturday night’s biggest draw at Ottawa’s Terry Fox Athletic Facility was reigning world champion Marco Arop—and the Edmonton native delivered, but just barely.
Arop went wire-to-wire to claim his fourth straight national 800m title in 1:45.45, but NCAA standout Justin O’Toole made him earn every bit of it. O’Toole, 23, closed hard over the final stretch, finishing just 0.06 seconds behind in a huge personal best of 1:45.51—his first time under 1:46.
“It’s the closest race I’ve had at nationals in quite some time,” said Arop. “This field was strong, and I had to dig deep over the final 50 metres. Credit to those guys—they really brought it.”
With the win, Arop locks in his spot for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, where he’ll look to defend his 2023 world title. Next up for him: a training stint at altitude in St. Moritz, Switzerland, followed by another 800m pre-worlds tune-up at Lausanne Diamond League.
Arop won’t be the only Canadian in the 800m in Tokyo. Matti Erickson of Kootenay, B.C., finished third and had already achieved the World Championship qualifying standard (1:44.50) earlier this season. It will be Erickson’s first senior appearance on the world stage for Canada.
For full results from the 2025 Canadian Track and Field Championships, or to see the upcoming schedule, see here.
