Okoye, Amoako medal at 2024 AUS Track and Field Championships

By Corey LeBlanc

MONCTON – A pair of Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers finished off their varsity seasons with medal-winning performances over the weekend at the 2024 Atlantic University Sports (AUS) Track and Field Championships, presented by Bell.

Freshman Jesil Okoye captured silver in the men's triple jump, while veteran Faustina Amoako garnered bronze in the weight throw.

"They both had strong performances – our program is so proud of what they were able to accomplish," CBU head coach John Hudec said of his student-athletes.

Amoako, a fifth-year science student and homegrown product from Sydney, Cape Breton, has been a key contributor to the growth of the fledgling Capers' track and field program, which – under Hudec and his coaching staff – continues an ascent towards its goal of becoming a force to be reckoned with in the conference.

"Although she faced some challenges over the last few weeks of training, Faustina came through for us," Hudec added of the first female CBU student-athlete to reach the podium at the AUS track and field championships.

Amoako and the CBU women raced to seventh, with 11 points, in a field highlighted by the powerhouse Dalhousie Tigers, a program that captured its 35^th consecutive conference banner, while the UNB Reds (silver) and Memorial Sea-Hawks (bronze) rounded out the top-three finishers in the team competition.

"We have a little work to do," Hudec offered, although pleased with the increase, of the one-point improvement in the standings from 2023.

A crucial component of that 'work to do' is adding more female student-athletes capable of competing at a high level to the CBU program.

On the men's side, spurred by the impressive finish for Okoye, the Capers jumped from 10 points last season to 19 in 2024 as part of a competitive field topped by the Tigers, who fashioned their 21^st conference title in 22 campaigns. UNB (silver) and Saint Mary's Huskies (bronze) also reached the podium.

"Jesil had never done it," Hudec said of Okoye's experience in the triple jump prior to his silver-medal-winning varsity season.

He added, "We just got a feeling," while remembering what the CBU staff envisioned for the first-year engineering student during training camp.

The Ogbunike, Nigeria native – who also competed in the long jump – did everything that he could to fulfill that prophecy.

"We weren't totally surprised," Hudec said of Okoye's performance, even though the freshman was new to the sport.

Okoye and Amoako join Promise Akuchukwu, gold in the 60 metres, and Balwinder Singh, silver in the 60-metre hurdles – both in 2022 – as CBU track and field athletes to reach the podium at the AUS championships. In 2023, Balwinder Singh Sethi raced to bronze in the 60m hurdles for the Capers.

"We did quite well," Hudec offered of the Capers fourth consecutive appearance at the prestigious year-end meet.

Along with the medal victories, CBU collected a handful of fourth-place finishes, including the men's 4X200m relay team of Charles Egwuagu, Tejvir Grewal, Dinesh Bisht and Brandon Penny.

"It is a great sign," Hudec offered of that placing, when it comes to the Capers making progress in those disciplines.

Jonathan Amobi raced to fourth in the 60m men's final, only one one-hundredth of a second out of third place, while Favour Akachukwu earned the same placing on the women's side. She trailed the third-place finisher by eight one-hundredths of a second.

David Solanke finished fourth in the high and long jumps.

Fourteen Capers competed in the two-day championship meet.

"We want to continue to see that number grow," Hudec said of having more CBU student-athletes reach the training and performance standards needed to compete in the annual gathering of the best of the AUS.

The conference championship showings put the finishing touches on "quite a good season," according to the CBU mentor.

Hudec added, "We continue to build a strong base, so we think that the future is bright."

And, key to staying on the right path as part of that process, he noted the importance of continuing to bring in student-athletes possessing essential qualities such as "desire" and "consistency."

"Because track and field is so training focussed, you really need to have the passion to compete," Hudec offered.

He noted, considering the level of commitment required, the Capers – after a couple of weeks – will be "back at it," as they continue on that journey.

-30-