Savannah Sutherland takes to a hurdle during last week's NCAA Track and Field Championships. (University of Michigan Track and Field Photo)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Record Break

Borden’s Savannah Sutherland breaks Canadian 400-metre hurdles record; named Big 10 Track and Field Athlete of the Year

Jun 13, 2024 | 4:45 PM

The young girl first ran on a track at school that was made of dirt and had gopher holes that needed to be filled every couple of weeks. Borden raised an athlete built on grit and determination and now Savannah Sutherland holds the Canadian record for the 400-metre hurdles.

“It feels great,” she said of last week’s NCAA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

The original record was 54.32 and while she broke the record in her preliminary round at 54.04, it was the final where she took it another level.

“The record was kind of set in my sights last year at the same meet, I knew that it was possible and it was something that I could shoot for in the next couple of years. So, I’m really excited that we were finally able to make it happen and make it work,” she said of the 53.26 time.

Savannah, who began running at 12, said she started competing at the national level about two years ago and it was a tough transitional period.

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“I didn’t really see the results that I wanted, which was difficult,” she said of her freshman year at the University of Michigan.

“I wasn’t running quite as fast as I was when I was in high school and so, that was a little bit difficult thing to work through.”

After having time to settle in her new community and with the help of Steven Rajewsky, Michigan’s assistant track and field coach, she ended her second year by winning the NCAA Championships.

“That was a huge breakthrough for me and very, very exciting.”

Though she came up short this year – second place – Savannah, currently ranked 4th in the world, is happy she ran faster than her previous run.

A born runner

Jason Reindl, head coach for the track and field and cross-country team at the University of Saskatchewan, works as one of Sutherland’s supporting coaches.

“I’ve been supporting Sav for about four years and just try whenever she comes home for Christmas and the summertime have there be a little bit of consistency and help her execute Coach Steve’s plans as he lays them out,” he said.

Watching the newly minted Big 10 Track and Field Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year develop is a “testament to her growth and maturity as a young adult” said Reindl.

“The day-to-day attitude that Savannah’s brought forward is part of the real reason for her success. She’s always been extremely talented in terms of the results that she’s displayed, the results, the medals, the awards, the accolades,” he added of her near decade-long career.

“When a talented athlete who’s supported and staying consistent and well-balanced across a lot of different areas, there’s really no limitation on what they can achieve.”

Sonia Sutherland, Savannah’s mother, said watching her daughter break the Canadian record twice in one weekend was “exhilarating.” She explained she and her husband Scott were visiting and he had a feeling something special was going to happen.

“She was just extra nervous that night,” Sonia said.

“Normally, she’s pretty calm, cool, she’s in the zone and a lot of times we don’t ever see her before her finals, we just let her do her thing.”

When their daughter broke the record, Sonia said Scott thought it was a mistake.

Breaking records

“I said “No, that’s what she ran,’” she said of their teary-eyed reaction.

“It was great.”

Getting to that moment was a long journey as Savannah said there were limited resources to be a serious competitor in her sport of choice.

“Almost every high school in the (United States) has a track, whereas there’s only a few in Saskatchewan and I had to drive about 45 minutes to get to the nearest track to practice while I was at home,” she said.

“You know, maybe I didn’t have the best circumstances for cultivating track and field talent but the fact that I was able to make it work and that I had such a supportive family and also the town was so supportive as well in helping me achieve those dreams. It definitely means a lot that I am now at this level.”

Reindl said her run was “extremely remarkable.”

“When we break it down and can say, ‘In the entire history of Canadian track and field, no female has ever run faster than her,’” he said.

“That in itself is a statement that you know, when we think about Savannah’s upbringing and representing and I say proudly representing Borden and all of our communities in province,” he said.

“The best of the best, not someone from Toronto, not someone from Vancouver and all those kind of statements, which is a very Saskatchewan point of pride, but it doesn’t happen lightly.”

J’aime Paris

The road to the Paris Olympics this summer is now underway, although first she must compete in the Canadian Track and Field Championships. Savannah said she owed much of her earlier time being active in all disciplines and especially training in dance to helping her develop strength and awareness.

“You meet a lot of people in track who have either danced in the past or either have done gymnastics or cheer or some sort of…more rhythm sport,” she said.

“I think it really helped with my body awareness especially, which is very helpful for the hurdles and also just knowing my body.”

As she prepares for the next challenge – the official Canadian Olympic team will be announced after the nationals – she’s also contemplating her future in medicine, specifically in Oncology.

“I’ve had quite a few family members who’ve had cancer,” said the pre-med student.

“I’ve seen what it can do to families and how difficult it can be for people and so, the fact that I already have first-hand experience with that, I just really would love to do everything that I can to help other families that are going through the same thing.”

Meanwhile, the track star’s mom said her independent daughter has been jet setting around the globe for meets for years and while she is excited about the prospects of Paris – it would be her 20-year-old’s debut – Sonia’s thinking of it as another event so as not to be overwhelmed by the enormity of it.

The finish line

Instead, she and her husband have one goal in mind, as is tradition.

“Normally she always looks up to find us when she crosses, that’s just a thing she’s done since she started track,” she said.

“She always looks up and that’s usually where we always are, is just around the finish line, so we can see the times when she crosses.”

Reflecting back on her early beginnings where a chalk line once marred the dirt for the runners’ start and finish, Savannah is humbled as she steps out onto a division 1 track in a stadium filled with crowds of spectators.

“I’m just so, so grateful that I was able to get here and be able to compete at such high levels.”

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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