Gabriela DeBues-Stafford qualifies for World Championships at Canadian Nationals
It had been more than 1,200 days since Toronto’s Gabriela DeBues-Stafford last ran for Team Canada on the world stage. On Thursday night at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Ottawa, she earned the chance to don the red and white singlet once again, winning the women’s 5,000m in 15:17.32 to punch her ticket to the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo this September.
“It feels really good,” DeBues-Stafford told Canadian Running post-race. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a moment like this—so to make it official, with the Canadian title win—it’s surreal.”
The 29-year-old entered nationals already holding the 5,000m world standard of 14:50, a time she clocked in early June to move up the world rankings. All she needed on Thursday night was the win to make her place on Team Canada official.
While the race came down to the final two laps, with Canadian Olympian Regan Yee and NCAA standout Chloe Thomas pushing the pace, DeBues-Stafford remained composed, pulling away with 800m to go to win by a six-second margin. Yee finished second in 15:23.22, and Thomas took third in 15:25.47.
The last time DeBues-Stafford competed internationally for Canada was at the 2022 World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, where she finished one spot off the podium in the women’s 3,000m. Since then, she’s spent the better part of two years in and out of the sport, dealing with injuries and personal challenges.
“Ever since 2019, I feel like I’ve been holding a lot of weight in my running, and now I finally feel relieved of that,” she said. “In my growth, I had to return to an old version of myself—I’ve been through a lot. Some of it I’ve talked about publicly, and some I haven’t. I’d like to one day, but now isn’t the time.”
Gabriela DeBues-Stafford is back at the top of Canadian middle-distance running
Desgagnés wins third straight steeplechase title
DeBues-Stafford wasn’t the only Canadian to secure a spot on the national team for Tokyo. Quebec’s Jean-Simon Desgagnés claimed his third consecutive national title in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, winning in 8:29.82.
“The aim today was to do whatever I needed to win the race,” said Desgagnés. “My goal is to be in the best shape I can be for Tokyo.”
Desgagnés has made the final in the men’s steeplechase at the last two major championships (Olympics and Worlds). Now, he says he’s aiming even higher, looking to become a consistent top-five finisher at global events and Diamond Leagues.
To reach that next level, Desgagnés is focusing on improving his speed. He’ll be back on the track Saturday for the heats of the men’s 1,500m.
For full results from the 2025 Canadian Track and Field Championships, or to see the upcoming schedule, see here.
