Gaels track star, Jude Wheeler-Dee, ArtSci ’26, is ready to take his speed from Queen’s to the world stage.
From Aug., 9 to 23, reigning Gaels Men’s Athlete of the Year, Wheeler-Dee will be traveling to Asunción, Paraguay for the 2025 Junior Pan American (PanAm) Games as part of Canada’s first Junior Pan American Games Athletics team. Competing in the 1500m event, Wheeler-Dee will face off against top-tier under-23 athletes from across North and South America, with the games having a total of 334 events across 28 sports.
For Wheeler-Dee, the event will not only be his first international competition, but his first time donning the Maple Leaf. “I’d probably say it’s one of my biggest accomplishments and that I’ll look back on with the highest regard,” Wheeler-Dee said in an interview with The Journal.
“A couple of years ago, I didn’t really think I would be in this position. But as of recent, it’s been like, that’s the goal and the standard. I just know once I go and I come back, I’m going to be just thinking about how I can get back there,” he said.
While the Junior Pan American Games could mark his final competition at the under-23 level before aging out of the circuit, Wheeler-Dee describes himself as thrilled and excited, with his focus centered on gaining as much experience as possible.
“I know this is hopefully the first step of many [of an international career], and hopefully the first of many national teams to make,” Wheeler-Dee said. “I want to take it all in and see what this environment’s like so I can be more prepared for future years.”
It’s clear, though, that Wheeler-Dee won’t be unprepared when he gets to Paraguay, thanks to his experience against high-level competition in Canada. He credited his experience at high-level track meets in the North American circuit for preparing him for elite competition, whether it’s in Paraguay or beyond.
After recent success at both the collegiate and international levels, Wheeler-Dee explains how the Gaels Cross Country and Distance Track program is focused on long-term growth.
READ MORE: Jude Wheeler-Dee continues to make Queen’s history
“We don’t want to be a program or a team that just has this little bit of a success story and have a season or two where we’re competing on the national stage for the national title,” Wheeler-Dee said. “We’re really trying to build something that lasts a lot longer.”
Wheeler-Dee’s selection for Canada’s inaugural Junior PanAm athletics team is a milestone for both his career and Queen’s athletics, and with his success at the collegiate level, he is poised to make his mark on the international stage.
The events will be available to watch from Aug. 9 to 23 for free online, with athletics events running between Aug. 18 to 22.
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