The Manitoba Bisons will be well represented in Athletics at the FISU World University Games in Germany this summer. National gold medalists Daxx Turner, Jordan Soufi, Dawson Mann and Lara Denbow and National Assistant Coach of the Year Gee-ef Nkwonta have all made Team Canada. The Athletics portion of the World University Games run from July 21-27 in Bochum, Germany.

Turner is the school record holder in the triple jump at Manitoba, and has never lost at the Canada West Championships in four seasons as a Bison. Turner broke the triple jump school record when the Herd hosted nationals in 2024, with a leap of 15.82m which helped him secure his first U SPORTS gold. He also earned a national silver at this past year's national championship.

Turner had another standout performance at last summer's Olympic Trials, earning silver in the triple jump with a leap of 16.14m, which set a new provincial record. Overall, Turner holds the U18, U20 and senior outdoor triple jump records in Manitoba, and he also holds the U18 and U20 indoor records.

Soufi is the school record holder and 2024 U SPORTS champion in the 60m with a time of 6.64 seconds. He also earned national silver this past year. He holds three of the four fastest times in the event for Manitoba overall, running 6.64, 6.67 and 6.69 twice. Soufi is one of just two sprinters (the other being teammate Jordan Soufi) to run sub-6.70 for Manitoba.

A well-rounded athlete, Soufi will compete in the 200m for Team Canada, and is in the 4x100m relay pool. He was also sensational at Olympic Trials in both the 100 and 200m. Soufi ran two 100-metre races in Montreal — a qualifying round, which he ran in 10.3 seconds, and a semi-final, crossing the line in 10.46 seconds, good for 13th overall. He also advanced to the semi-finals in the 200, finishing in 21.19, a new personal best which placed him 10th, just outside the final. 

Mann is coming off a 600m championship at U SPORTS nationals for Manitoba, and he's one of only two athletes in school history to run under 1:17 in the event. Manitoba's Male Team MVP, Mann also competed in the 300m at nationals and was a key member of the Bisons' 4x200, 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams all season, becoming the first athlete to run in all three relays in over 30 years. The Sanford, MB native also won the Canadian Track and Field League Championship in the 800m last summer, competing against some of the best athletes Canada has to offer. 

Denbow is a back-to-back national champion for Manitoba in the high jump. The Neepawa, Manitoba native earned national gold in 2024, setting a U SPORTS personal best of 1.78m, and she defended her title this past year in Windsor. Denbow's leap of 1.78m is also the second highest in the history of the program. A former Oregon State commit, Denbow was also a Canadian National Champion in high jump at the U16 and U18 levels, and a silver medalist in triple jump at U18 nationals. 

Nkwonta is a former national medalist in triple jump as a Bison, and has quickly become one of the most respected coaching minds in the country. A former Canada West and U SPORTS Assistant Coach of the Year, he's been instrumental in helping the Bisons to a historic four straight Canada West Championships, as well as their best three-year result at nationals (bronze, silver, bronze) in 29 years.

"It's exciting that so many Bisons will get this opportunity. Many of them are on their first national team, myself included, so it should be a great learning experience too," said Nkwonta. 

"We have a great staff and group of athletes so I'm excited to see how this plays out for the crew."