Dinos Track & Field shines in home opener

CALGARY – It was a successful start to the 2025-26 season for the University of Calgary Dinos track & field program Sunday, hosting the annual Dino Opener inside the Jack Simpson Gym.

The Dinos won four events in limited competition in a successful start to the year.

Sienna MacDonald led the way with three of those wins. The highly decorated combined event athlete started the new season with a win in the 60m hurdles. MacDonald – who broke the U SPORTS record in the event her last time competing on Canadian soil – opened the year with a winning time of 8.26 seconds, already ranking her second in the nation.

MacDonald also posted the top time in both the 60m sprint prelims and finals, with her winning time of 7.46 in the final already ranking her No. 1 in U SPORTS in the early going. The Dinos swept the podium in the event, with reigning Canada West bronze medallist Georgia Oland taking second with a strong season-opening time of 7.56 – third fastest in the nation, thus far. Emma Parnetta (7.83) and Kristen Fox (7.86) were right behind for third and fourth, respectively. Rookie Bisi Okikiolu also did well in her university debut, taking 10th in 8.30.

On the men's side, Ethan Parnetta came in eighth overall in 7.18 seconds.

A pair of rookies did well in the women's 1000m. Vienna Selland earned the bronze medal on the day in 3:12.72 in her U SPORTS debut, while Jordis Hickie placed seventh overall in 3:22.89.

Jaxon Turner just missed a win in the men's sprint hurdle race, taking second overall in 8.86 seconds to officially return from an injury that kept him off the track all of last season.

Calgary closed out the opening meet with a sweep of the shot put events. Tristan Friesen (14.71m) and Alex Wahl (13.62m) went 1-2 on the men's side, while Friesen's mark already ranking in the top 10 in the country. Meanwhile, MacDonald picked up her third win of the day with a winning toss of 12.16m – also ranking her in the top 10.

The Dinos are now off until the new year, next competing at the GBP Preview Jan. 3 in Edmonton.