A.J Stanat with the Windsor Lancers during the men's shot put on day two of the OUA track and field championships February 21 at York University in Toronto. Stanat won gold with a record throw of 19.06 metres. (photo / Mundo Sports Images)
Stanat captures gold in record
style
The Windsor Lancer from St. Thomas throws 19.06m to win third consecutive
OUA shot put title, one of six local athletes heading to U-Sports track & field
February 24, 2026
By Rob J. Ross
TORONTO, Ont. - AJ Stanat captured his third consecutive Ontario University Athletics (OUA) men's shot put title in record style.
The 22-year old from St. Thomas won gold with a personal best (PB) heave of 19.06 metres, day two of the OUA indoor track and field championships, at York University, February 20-21.
"The throw took a while to come through the electronic system, so I thought to myself that the mark must've been pretty good," Stanat said. "The question, in that moment, was how good? I was hoping and praying that it was 19 metres, and was thrilled when the mark was confirmed at 19.06m."
The measurement thrown in the second round of the competition is a new OUA record and keeps Stanat number one in the U-Sports rankings.
"Everyone in the throws area, both coaches and fellow athletes, congratulated me in the moment, which I thought was very nice," Stanat said. "The entire throwing community as a whole is fairly tight-knit, a sentiment echoed by their gesture toward me after my throw."
The fifth year Human Kinestics student with the Windsor Lancers, opened with a 18.34 metre throw, just under his previous PB of 18.44m. Stanat also had throws of 18.09 and 17.96 metres, along with two fouls.
"I felt strong and confident throughout the competition," said Stanat. "The goal heading in was to be more process-oriented rather than result-driven, which is something I think helped reframe my perspective."
Earlier this season, Stanat threw over 18 metres for the first time.
Stanat picked up a bronze medal in weight throw on day one, with a best effort of 17.13 metres in the second round of the competition.
His personal best of 18.01m would have won the event, as Jason Okpere of Toronto took the gold medal with a throw of 17.69m.
Stanat heads to the Canadian University (U-Sports) championships, March 5-7, in Winnipeg, as the reigning U-Sports men's shot put champ.
"I obviously want to defend my title in shot put and be back up over 19m, but in addition to that, I'd like to be on the podium for weight throw, making a strong push for the win," Stanat said. "There's some more training to be done on that side, but I think it's anyone's game at U-Sports for weight throw."
Five additional athletes from the St. Thomas - Elgin County and Dorchester area will join Stanat at U-Sports.
Brianna Rand will be riding a huge personal best effort in to U-Sports.
Rand from Dorchester, won a silver medal in women's triple jump, with a PB leap of 12.15 metres.
That measurement, attained twice in the competition, moves Rand into a tie for fourth in the U-Sports women's triple jump rankings, vaulting up from 11th.
"It felt really great and it's been a long time coming, so finally being over 12 metres consistently was such a great feeling," Rand said.
A fourth year Kinesiology student with the Western Mustangs, Rand also had jumps of 12.12, 11.95 and 11.58m.
Rand's season best heading into OUAs was 11.78 metres. Her previous PB was 11.98 metres from 2024. Rand had a season's best 11.97m in 2025.
Hallee Knelsen of Malahide, with the Mustangs, took the bronze medal in the women's 600 metre run (1:31.07).
In the women's 1000 metres, Knelsen, the number one ranked female in U-Sports in the distance, with a time of 2:42.38, was tripped up, fell, and was unable to finish the race.
Anij Sparenberg from St. Thomas, with the Mustangs, placed fifth in women's shot put with best heave of 12.39 metres.
"My goal for this entire season was just to make it to U-Sports regardless of the distance so I have achieved that," said Sparenberg. "I was ranked fourth (for OUAs) and have been throwing low-mid 13s the last couple weeks in practice, so I was hoping to achieve at least 13 to maybe get a bronze medal or be around my PB of 12.89."
Sparenberg's personal best distance of 12.89m, was at a meet in Windsor a week before OUAs, moving Sparenberg in to the U-Sports top 12 at number 11, to earn a berth at U-Sports.
"I was hoping for a medal (at OUAs), but that means I'm saving more for U-Sports. I'm very happy that I get to go to Manitoba," Sparenberg said. "Since I've already achieved my goal for the season, I think there will be less stress to perform and hopefully that means more relaxed, and big throws."
Jadyn Luna of Thorndale, with Windsor, placed ninth in the women's pentathlon, but could not finish the 800-metre run due to an Achilles issue.
Luna won shot put (12.70m), placed seventh in the 60m hurdles (9.27 sec.), eighth in long jump (4.88m) and 11th in high jump (1.38m).
Vincent Moore of St. Thomas, with Western, finished 10th in the men's 600m (1:21.04) and was on Western's 4x800m relay team that placed fifth.
Mason Basson from Sparta, with the Guelph Gryphons, was 11th in the men's 600m (1:21.04) and on the Gryphons' fourth place finishing men's 4x800 relay team.
Basson brings home a team gold medal, as the Gryphons ran away with both the men's and women's team titles.