Athlete Advisory Committee

Sergio Ráez Villanueva, Chair

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Sergio is an athlete representing the Mississauga Track & Field Club who races on the track, on the road, and on cross-country terrains. He has vast exposure to several local, national, and international competitions which allows him to see what works in making a race both impacting for the athletes and also entertaining and rewarding for the spectators. Sergio is also a coach with the club, as well.

As a competitor, Sergio raced at the Pan-Am Championships in Alberta (August 2018), IAAF World U20 Track and Field Championships (July 2016), was a double-medalist for the 50th Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg (August 2017), competitor for FISU World University Cross-Country Championships in Switzerland (April 2018), 3rd place finisher for the Canadian 10km Championships in Ottawa (May 2018), gold-medalist for the 10,000m Canadian Championship in Guelph (June 2018), and competitor for NACACs at this same event (August 2018).

AO Duties:

The committee Chair is responsible for maintaining order in meetings, as well as setting and sharing the agenda.

Marley Dickinson, Vice Chair

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AO Duties:

The Vice Chair will be responsible to step in if the Chair is absent.

Jacob Stotland, Secretary

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Jacob is a middle-long distance track/cross country athlete who represents Central Toronto AC.

Describe your most memorable experience at an AO Championship?

• My most memorable experience at an AO Championship was at the 2018 AO Cross Country Championship in King City. This was my very first AO cross country championship so it holds a special place in my heart. From the moment I arrived at the event, the atmosphere was electric. Athletes, coaches and fans were all milling around, with music playing in the background. Some were warming up for their race, others were watching the races, but everyone was having an excellent time. In my experience, a true cross country race needs hills, trails, rocks, and mud. King City did not disappoint; the day before the race it rained! So now we have two great ingredients for a cross country event (atmosphere + mud), we just need to race. The course was gruelling and mud was everywhere, but it was amazing. From the start to the finish, the race was fast and fun. An added bonus was that our team placed third! Overall, I’ve cherished this event and will always remember it as a competitive, fun introduction to AO Cross Country Championships.

AO Duties:

The Secretary is responsible for meeting minutes, liaising with the Chair and effectively communicating with the other members of the committee.

Meah O’Donnell, Officials Liaison

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Emily is a Triple Jump athlete with Royal City AC.

“Track and field has changed my life and I owe that to Athletics Ontario and the amazing work they do to ensure athletes thrive, succeed and develop to be their best. Each AO Championship I have participated in has been incredible and helped form memories that will stay with me for a long time. One of the main reasons I would like to be on this committee is to help other athletes form the same quality and quantity of memories.”

AO Duties:

The Officials Committee Liaison is responsible for communicating with the Officials Committee.

Daniel Smart-Reed, Athlete Representative

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Daniel has been a member of SISU Throws, and is a javelin thrower currently on the varsity track and field team at UBC.

Emily Kuk, Athlete Representative

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Emily is a horizontal jumps athlete who competes in the Long Jump and Triple Jump, and is a member of the University of Toronto Track Club.

Sara Bardai, Athlete Representative

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Sara is a distance athlete and has been a member of the London-Western TFC and London Legion TFA.