Love was most definitely in the air at this year’s Alive to Strive race on April 27 at Mooney’s Bay.

From the quiet confines of the Louis-Riel Dome and the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, the roar of a 45,000+ crowd was quite the contrast for five Ottawa Lions athletes who competed at the 119th Penn Relays in Philadelphia on April 27.

A year ago, they were OFSAA track champions, and now Ottawa middle-distance runners Emma Galbraith and Yves Sikubwabo share another remarkable commonality from their first university seasons – both were named CIS track-and-field rookies of the year.

The annual Alive to Strive race to support active lifestyles amongst kidney disease patients is set for April 28 at Terry Fox Athletic Facility.

Recognized as one of Canada’s most innovative and prolific coaches over a vast career in water polo, Ottawa’s David Hart received the Coaching Association of Canada’s Geoff Gowan Award for lifetime contribution to coaching development in November.

It took only one season for Yves Sikubwabo to become an All-Canadian and a national champion. The Glebe Collegiate Institute grad helped his University of Guelph Gryphons to their seventh consecutive Canadian Interuniversity Sport cross-country running championship with his seventh-place finish in the men’s race.

Pure joy, unprecedented results, and one incredibly proud coach – national capital athletes enjoyed a 2012 OFSAA cross-country running championships like no other on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Despite some initial nerves, Yves Sikubwabo has transitioned into life at the University of Guelph in similar fashion to when he arrived in Ottawa as a refugee from his native Rwanda – with a big splash.

Holy Trinity’s Mickey Day completed a unique double when he ran to victory in the senior boys’ event, bursting away from his challengers after the second loop of the hill to win the 7 km race by just under a minute in 21:41.