By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19) and Sheldon Spackman

first selection to canadian senior team

Red Deer sprinter Jeremiah Lauzon heading to Pan Am Games

Sep 23, 2023 | 1:13 PM

A Red Deer athlete has his sights set on achieving new heights at the upcoming Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile.

Jeremiah Lauzon, a sprinter originally from Mirabalais, Haiti, has been selected to represent Canada at the event which runs October 20 to November 4.

It’s not the 23-year-old Thurber grad’s first time wearing the maple leaf, having done so at a Youth Pan Am Games in Costa Rica, though this is his first selection to the senior team, notes Ronald Hewer, Alberta Speed School sprint and hurdles coach.

“Jeremiah is a 200 metre specialist. For athletes like him, training is three hours a day, seven days a week for 10 months out of the year,” says Hewer. “It’s a lot of hard work. During COVID, there were many competitions that got cancelled, and that wore on athletes mentally. It’s been difficult on him.”

Lauzon is currently a student-athlete at the University of Texas, but was training with others in Red Deer this past summer.

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In 2022, Lauzon became an NCAA DII National Outdoor 4×100 metre relay champion. He’s also a 2x USTFCCCA First-Team All-American, and a 4x USTFCCCA All-South Central Region.

“When these games are over, his focus returns to school. There’ll also be the NCAA Indoor Championships, where he’s made the finals in four different years. After that will be the NCAA Outdoor Championships,” says Hewer.

“After that comes Olympic trials next June in Montreal. That’s the holy grail, the Olympics, with the next games in Paris 2024, then Los Angeles 2028.”

Hewer says it’s difficult to find the ultimate adjective for Lauzon and for the pride he has in his athletes.

“My heart bleeds with pride for him and his family and the community and the country. I am very, very, very proud of Jeremiah’s accomplishment, knowing the sweat and the tears he’s put in. The work and the anxiety that goes into this type of accomplishment is incredible,” adding a message for young athletes who perhaps will watch Lauzon.

“Everyone can accomplish things that maybe they didn’t know they were good at. Maybe they’re a good football player today and they might be an ex-athlete tomorrow. But get involved, join that track team, and develop. Who knows what could happen?”

Lauzon is currently ranked 241st in the world in the 200 metres, and 1,505th in the 100 metres, according to World Athletics.

His season best for 2023 was a 20.72 second 200 metre and a 10.61 100 metre.