The Stafford sisters are again at it, persevering with to claim their standing as two of Canada’s most proficient middle-distance athletes. On Sunday, in neighbouring European nations, each sisters opened their 2026 indoor seasons over 3,000m, every delivering standout performances.
Gabriela DeBues-Stafford narrowly misses world customary
On the INIT Indoor Assembly Karlsruhe in Germany, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold assembly, Gabriela DeBues-Stafford claimed the win within the girls’s 3,000m, stopping the clock at 8:35.94. The efficiency got here inside a second of the World Indoor Championships qualifying customary (8:35.00), and was simply two seconds shy of her personal Canadian file of 8:33.92, set in 2022.
American indoor 5,000m file holder Elise Cranny completed second in 8:37.06.
DeBues-Stafford’s consequence was greater than 4 seconds quicker than her 2025 season opener final Could in Northern Eire the place she ran 8:39.35 in a solo effort. That race launched one of the notable comeback seasons in Canadian monitor historical past. After a protracted return from damage, DeBues-Stafford went on to win the nationwide titles within the 1,500m and 5,000m, qualify for thee World Athletics Championships in each occasions and advance to the world 1,500m closing, breaking 4 minutes for the primary time since 2022.
Lucia Stafford makes excellent 3,000m debut
In the meantime in France, Lucia Stafford made her long-awaited 3,000m debut on the Assembly Metz, racing the space for the primary time in her profession, indoors or outdoor. Stafford completed fourth in 8:42.87, a efficiency that instantly ranks her #3 on the Canadian all-time indoor checklist; solely her sister and Regan Yee sit forward.
The race additionally marked her first competitors since becoming a member of Manchester-based M11 Observe Membership final fall.
With their new outcomes, the sisters now maintain the quickest and second-fastest Canadian girls’s 3,000m occasions of 2026, signalling what could possibly be a significant 12 months for each athletes.
See right here for outcomes from Assembly Karlsruhe and right here for outcomes from Assembly Metz.
