Montréal, May 21, 2024 – Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, holder of seven Canadian records, will be with us for the Montreal Athletics Classic on June 21.
Deemed as the greatest women middle distance runner in Canada, DeBues-Stafford has been handicapped by very serious injuries since the 2022 season. She is currently trying to return to her best form and still remains a potential candidate for the Canadian selection for the Paris Olympic Games.
Fifth at the 2019 world championships in Doha with a fabulous Canadian record of 3 min 56.19 sec, DeBues-Stafford was also fifth at the Tokyo Games in 2021. Expected to run among the favorites in the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, she had to withdraw only a few weeks before the championships.
«Her 2022 season was over due to a stress reaction in her sacrum, a single bone comprised of five separate vertebrae located at the bottom of the spinal column, connecting it to the pelvis.
An MRI simultaneously diagnosed the Toronto native with osteitis pubis — an inflammatory condition of the joint between the left and right pelvic bone.»
(Source: Doug Harrison CBC Sports) https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/debues-stafford-golden-gala-florence-diamond-league-preview-1.6861307
Since this forced stoppage, through the ups and downs in training, the 28-year-old athlete has been gradually working to regain form and hopes to return to her best level. In addition to struggling to heal physical injuries, the four-time national 1500 meter champion has spoken openly on social media about her physical recovery and her battle with depression.
The long road back to the top is not over for Gabriela but who knows perhaps that her run at La Classique will be the long-awaited trigger. We can only be proud to welcome this resilient athlete and wish her a great race in Montreal on June 21.
The women's 1500 meter field has yet to be completed and will be revealed soon. Just the presence of an exceptional person like Gabriela DeBues-Stafford is worth your support.
One month to go before the best Classique ever. You can get your tickets for La Classique right today on our website www.classiquemtl.com or at www.lepointdevente.com .
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