Canada names team for IAAF world indoor championships

World pole vault champion Shawn Barber and heptathlon silver medallist Brianne Theisen-Eaton headline the athletes who will compete for Canada at the upcoming IAAF world indoor championships, which will be brought to you live by CBC Sports.

CBC Sports brings you exclusive live coverage

A silver medallist in the heptathlon at last year's outdoor worlds, Canada's Brianne Theisen-Eaton will compete in the pentathlon event at the World Indoor Championships. (Getty Images)

World pole vault champion Shawn Barber and heptathlon silver medallist Brianne Theisen-Eaton headline the athletes who will compete for Canada at the upcoming IAAF world indoor championships.

Athletics Canada named 14 athletes Thursday for the March 17-20 event in Portland, Oregon.


Canadians can follow the competition with CBC Sports' exclusive live online streaming coverage at cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices, as well as additional coverage on CBC Sports' Road to the Olympic Games TV broadcasts.

Full live streaming and broadcast schedules are available below or by clicking here.

"CBC Sports is proud to connect Canadians with athletes competing at the highest levels of their sport, live and on the device of their choice," said Greg Stremlaw, Executive Director, CBC Sports, and General Manager and chef de mission for CBC/Radio-Canada's coverage of Rio 2016. "Our TV, online and mobile coverage of this event provides Canadians a front-row-seat experience allowing them a glimpse into some of the tough competition our very talented track and field high performance athletes are likely to face in Rio."

Barber has continued right where he left from a 2015 dream campaign that saw him capture Canada's first track and field world title in 12 years when he won the men's pole vault event in Beijing. He enters the world indoor championships ranked second in the world behind France's Renaud Lavillenie. In January, Barber cleared 6.00 metres to set a new Canadian all-time best. 

Theisen-Eaton looks to improve on the silver medal she won at the last world indoor championships, in 2014. Her 2015 season included medals at the Pan Am Games in Toronto and the outdoor world championships in Beijing, as well as a new Canadian record in the heptathlon. She'll compete in the pentathlon in Portland.

Other Canadians who could make a mark at the indoor worlds include Winnipeg's Nicole Sifuentes, who won bronze in the 1500 metres at the 2014 indoor worlds and silver in the same event at the Pan Am Games, as well as runners Mo Ahmed, Cam Levins and Tim Nedow. Ahmed is fresh off a Canadian-record performance in the 3,000 metres, Levins set a new Canadian all-time best last season in the 10,000, and Nedow is flirting with Dylan Armstrong's indoor shot put record (21.39m) with a seasonal best of 21.33m. Nedow was also crowned shot put champion in the IAAF's inaugural World Indoor Tour this season.

"The world indoor championships in Portland represent the last major international competition before the 2016 Olympic Games," said Peter Eriksson, Athletics Canada's head coach. "The four-day competition will see some of our best athletes go up against some of the world's best, providing a preview of what's to come in Rio. "

Canada's team

  • Mo Ahmed (St. Catharines, Ont.): 3,000m
  • Bolade Ajomale (Richmond Hill, Ont.): 60m
  • Shawn Barber (Toronto): Pole vault
  • Georgia Ellenwood (Langley, B.C.): Pentathlon
  • Crystal Emmanuel (Toronto): 60m
  • Cam Levins (Black Creek, B.C.): 3,000m
  • Tim Nedow (Brockville, Ont.): Shot Put 
  • Jessica O'Connell (Calgary): 3,000m
  • Philip Osei (Toronto): 400m
  • Sheila Reid (Newmarket, Ont.): 3,000m
  • Nicole Sifuentes (Winnipeg): 1,500m
  • Gabriella Stafford (Toronto): 1,500m
  • Brianne Theisen-Eaton (Humbodlt, Sask.): Pentathlon 
  • Angela Whyte (Edmonton): 60m

CBC Sports live streaming schedule

All times Eastern.

Thursday, March 17

  • 9:40 p.m. - 11:40 p.m. (Day 1 afternoon session)

Friday, March 18

  • 1:05 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. (Day 2 morning session)
  • 7:40 p.m. - 11:10 p.m. (Day 2 evening session)

Saturday, March 19

  • 12:55 a.m. - 1:55 a.m. (Day 2 highlights)
  • 1:35 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Day 3 morning session)
  • 7:20 p.m. - 11 p.m. (Day 3 evening session)
  • 11:55 p.m. - 12:55 a.m. (Day 3 highlights)

Sunday, March 20

  • 2:50 p.m. - 6 p.m. (Day 4 evening session)
  • 6:55 p.m. - 7:55 p.m. (Day 4 highlights)

CBC TV broadcast schedule

Saturday, March 19

  • 5-6 p.m. ET

Sunday, March 20

  • 3-4 p.m. local time