London, ON – Just days after the OUA Track & Field Championships, the Mustangs are still being recognized for their outstanding season with a trio of team members among the recipients of major awards from the OUA.

Sprinter Favour Okpali was named name Female Track Athlete of the Year while Horizonal Jumper Kenneth West was named Male Field Athlete of the Year and Aaron Thompson is the Male Community Service Award winner.

Okpali is the top-ranked student-athlete in the country in the 600m and third in the 300m. She broke her own OUA 600m record last weekend, lowering it from 1:29.19 to an impressive 1:27.35 just .20 off of the Canadian Record. She remains undefeated in U SPORTS competition in the 600m. She was named performer of the meet at the OUA Championship last weekend after finishing first in the 600m, second in the 300m, 2nd in the women's 4x400m relay with a 53.4 split.

"Favour has really showed that hard work and trusting the process really does work! Last year she had a mental switch that she was going to focus on the process and not the destination." said Sprints Coach Taylor Ehrhardt "She has put in so much unrecognized work behind the scenes that this award really highlights the work that she has put in over these past 2 years."

West is the top ranked athlete in the country in both the long jump and triple jump. At the Penn State National Open in January he established the furthest long jump in U SPORTS history with a jump of 7.90m. This broke the meet record as well as Western's 12 year old school record. He followed that up with an outstanding leap of 7.99m at the OUA Championships, claiming gold and breaking the OUA record of 7.71m set in 2017. This is the 3rd furthest indoor jump in Canadian history and 25th in the world this year. West also broke a meet record in the triple jump at the Windsor Team Challenge this season of 15.89m, moving himself to the top of the U SPORTS rankings in the event. This also broke the 18 year old meet record by 1.21m.

"Kenneth has rewritten the history books multiple times this season and we honestly might not see a horizontal jumper like him for a very, very long time." said Mustangs Horizontal Jumps Coach Caroline Ehrhardt "An 8m long jump is a massive milestone in the event. To be knocking on the door of that number speaks to his world class talent, resilience and dedication to his craft. His best long jump of 7.99m this season is the furthest in U SPORTS history - so with him already being the U SPORTS record holder in triple jump, he is well on his way as establishing himself as the greatest ever male horizontal jumper in Canadian university sport."

Thompson is currently pursuing his Doctor of Medicine (MD) at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. His Research is focused on cardiorespiratory physiology and exercise physiology.

On the track he is Western's school record holder in the 60m at 6.72 seconds. He is currently ranked 1st in the 300m, 1st in the 4 x 200m, 1st in the 4 x 400m, 3rd in the 60m & 5th in the 600m in the OUA.

"As a medical school student athlete, what Aaron has done for this team is extremely impressive," said Mustangs Head Coach Vickie Croley "Aaron checks all the boxes of what a student athlete needs to do in order to be successful. He is an incredible role model and support for all of his teammates, and never hesitates to help when asked. On top of that he is an incredibly gifted athlete," 

Not only is he an exceptional athlete, he is passionate about promoting mental health and wellness and is the Mustangs Mental Wellness Lead (MWL). This involves leading training sessions and overseeing a team of approximately 42 MWLs who represent every varsity team at Western. He also mentors aspiring medical school applicants as they navigate their journey.

His own educational pursuits in medicine have led him to conducting respiratory physiology research in the lab of Dr. Paolo Dominelli at the University of Waterloo while pursuing his Master's of Science degree in 2022. Thompson is in the process of collecting data for a research project in the LHSC emergency departments.

And if that wasn't enough he also wanted to give back to the sport he loves and began coaching junior track and field athletes last year with 7-11 year olds with London Western Track and Field Club.

"I find this is an excellent way to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours in young kids, while helping them have fun at the same time. I enjoy spending time with these athletes because they're fun and chaotic, and because you never know what to expect."

Full award details can be found HERE

2025 OUA Track & Field Award Winners

Favour Okpali, Western Mustangs – Women's Performer of the Year (Track)
Max Davies, Guelph Gryphons – Men's Performer of the Year (Track)
Rebecca Parker, Guelph Gryphons – Women's Performer of the Year (Field)
Kenneth West, Western Mustangs – Men's Performer of the Year (Field)
Dianna Proctor, Guelph Gryphons – Women's Rookie of the Year
Keon Rude, Guelph Gryphons – Men's Rookie of the Year
Celia Markovinovic, Waterloo Warriors – Women's Community Service Award
Aaron Thompson, Western Mustangs – Men's Community Service Award
Tina Sharman, Windsor Lancers – Women's Assistant Coach of the Year
Paul Galas, Guelph Gryphons – Men's Assistant Coach of the Year