Gabriela DeBues-Stafford is one of the most popular athletes in the social athletics world, with her gritty racing, honesty and sense of humor. Gabriela (per Instagram, her friends call her “G”) is a wonderful example of how drive, focus, talent and hard work build an incredible career.
Today, Gabriela DeBues-Stafford announced that she has left the Bowerman Track Club. She is training with Hillary and Trent Stellingworth, who are based out of Victoria, British Columbia.
Her words are honest, and she lets her audience know the reasons why she is leaving, where she is going, and how she is trying to keep her focus on the World Outdoor Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Her fifth place in Tokyo, her recent Canadian National Indoor records at 1,500m (4:00.80), Mile (4:19.73), 3,000m (8:33.92) and the 5,000m (14:31.38) only hint at her talents.
We wish her the very best in the future.
Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, Boston College Invite, photo by Joe Hale Photography
“It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing that I have left the Bowerman Track Club. I am extremely grateful for the time that I spent with this incredible team. I learned so much about our sport, and made some amazing friendships that I will cherish for a lifetime. I wish this team nothing but the best in their future.
Last summer, a fellow athlete received an anti-doping ban, and this event was deeply upsetting. I have said this publicly before that learning this news in mid-June almost derailed my Olympics. It was a small miracle that I showed up in Tokyo in shape to run sub 4 twice in 48 hours and place 5th. Going into the fall, I did my best to put this event behind me, and focus on all of the positives this group has to offer, as I truly did and do love this team. However this event and its ongoing aftermath continued to be a major distraction and stress for me. For the sake of my athletic performance and mental health, I needed to move on.”
“And so I am excited to have this fresh start back in Canada. I am now working with Trent and Hilary Stellingwerff, based out of Victoria, BC along with the entire Athletics Canada West Hub sports science and medicine staff. I’d like to thank Nike for being supportive through this difficult time and for their continued support through Eugene and beyond.
My focus continues to be on putting myself in the best possible position ahead of this year’s Outdoor World Championships in Eugene. I will be answering some questions to various interested media outlets in the immediate aftermath of this announcement, but following that I will not be discussing the details of this move further, instead of focusing on my exciting move and future. If you would like to learn more details, feel free to search for those articles in the coming days, but beyond that, I ask that you please respect my privacy. Thank you for your support.”
