Shawn Barber selected as Athletics Canada's athlete of the year
Pole vaulter also wins performance of the year and field athlete of the year
A record-setting year ahead of the Olympics has won Shawn Barber three major awards from Athletics Canada, chief among them the Jack W. Davies Award for athlete of the year.
The Canadian-American dual citizen had a stellar season in 2015 which saw him break the national pole vault record and win a world title in Beijing, setting him up as a favourite for the upcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Barber won the Cal D. Bricker Memorial Trophy and F.N.A. Rowell Trophy for performance of the year and field event athlete of the year, respectively.
Barber, competing for the University of Akron in Ohio, won the 2015 NCAA title before moving into the pro ranks, where he broke the Canadian record with a leap of 5.93 metres in London leading up the the world championships.
Preparing for his first Olympics, the 21-year-old became the youngest athlete to join the six-metre club when he cleared the height during and indoor competition in January.
The Phil A. Edwards Memorial Trophy for track athlete of the year was awarded to Melissa Bishop, who broke the national record in the women's 800 metres during her world championship semifinal en route to a silver medal in the finals.