Women’s hurdles, Dylan Armstrong big draws, but other athletes can write headlines at Canadian Olympic track trails

CALGARY - The battle in the women's hurdles and shot-putter Dylan Armstrong's huge presence will create most of the shock and awe at this weekend's Canadian Track and Field Trials.

There will be shock if Perdita Felicien, a silver medallist at the 2007 world championships, is on the outside looking in when the 100-metre hurdles are run Saturday night at the Olympic trials.

Felicien, who fell in the finals at the 2004 Olympics and missed the 2008 Games with an injury, needs to finish in the top three to qualify for this summer's London Games. She comes to the trials tied for the slowest time among the six women who have reached the qualifying standard. At age 31, this could be the last chance for the Pickering, Ont., native to compete for an Olympic medal.

The favourite in the star-studded race is Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Whitby, Ont., a bronze medallist in 2008 who is back running about nine months after giving birth to daughter Nataliya. Others in the field include Jessica Zelinka, of London, Ont., a mother of a three-year-old who also competes in heptathlon, Edmonton's Angela Whyte, Phylicia George of Markham, Ont., and Nikkita Holder of Pickering.

Armstrong commands a sense of awe when he competes. At six-foot-four and 345 pounds, he has a bull's strength but a puppy's friendly nature. He's been a consistent top-three finisher in Diamond League meets this year and has a personal best throw of 22.11 metres.

The London Olympics have been in Armstrong's sights ever since missing the podium in Beijing by one centimetre.

Here's a look at five other athletes to watch at the Canadian trials:

Liz Gleadle, Javelin: The 23-year-old broke her own Canadian record at the Harry Jerome Track Classic in Vancouver with a toss of 61.15 metres. If she finishes in the top three in Calgary she will be the first Canadian female to compete at an Olympics since 1988.

Graceful when competing, the Vancouver native has dodged accidents and near injury all season. During an indoor training session in Lethbridge, Alta., she was hit on the leg by a 16-pound steel ball. She had trouble walking for a month.

She first qualified for the Olympics at a meet in Calgary this spring, then almost had a car accident driving back to her home in Lethbridge.

"I nearly crashed the car . . . not paying attention,'' she told The Vancouver Sun.

Cam Levins, Distance Runner: Prior to this spring Levins was little known, but that changed quickly after reaching the London standard in both the 5,000 and 10,000 metres.

The 23-year-old from Black Creek, B.C., won the 5,000 metres at the Mt. SAC Relays, achieving the A-plus Olympic standard and slicing 20 seconds off his previous best time. Just a week later Levins entered his first 10,000 metres at the Payton Jordan Invitational and won with the second fastest-time in Canadian history.

''It was pretty crazy,'' Levins, who attends the University of Southern Utah, told The Canadian Press. "I knew we were going to get a good time but I honestly had no idea what we were actually at. . . I had no clue how quick the finishing time was going to be. ''

Justyn Warner

, Sprinter: The Markham, Ont., native has a best time of 10.20 seconds in the 100-metres. He still needs to run an A-standard time of 10.18 seconds and finish in the top three at the Olympic trials to book a ticket to London. Warner understands pressure. He ran the race in Olso sandwiched between Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell.

Sultana Frizell, Hammer Throw: Frizell wants to make up time after a frustrating 2011. The Perth, Ont., native had a throw of 75.04 metres in her opening meet of the outdoor season to break her own Canadian record. Since 2008, Frizell has broken the record eight times.

Frizell competed at the 2008 Olympic Games, finishing 17th. She won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games with a record toss of 68.57 metres.

Mike Mason, High Jump: The first time Mason tried high jumping it was love at first leap. He hopes to take his relationship to a new height in London.

Mason cleared the qualifying standard of 2.31 metres at a meet in May but still needs to finish in the top three at the Olympic trials.

The 26-year-old, who now lives in Vancouver, is healthy again. He first injured his left ankle competing at the 2008 Games, which resulted in him exiting in the qualification rounds. The pain remained and it wasn't until the 2010 Commonwealth Games he learned he had a bone chip in his ankle joint which required surgery. Aiding in Mason's recovery has been a switch to Polish-trained coach Ziggy Szelagowicz.

"I actually can't pronounce his first and last name. He's just Ziggy,'' Mason told The Toronto Star.