The 2024 CTFL draft saw 119 athletes be selected by the league’s four teams in hopes of guiding them to a championship. Established stars and prolific youngsters were snatched up, with some picks panning out, while others weren’t as impactful as predicted. As NWA did ahead of last season’s draft, we’ll be looking ahead at the most exciting prospects of the upcoming draft. Each week, we’ll pull three athletes that will likely be high on team’s draft boards.

These promising athletes aren’t ranked in any particular order, as they all have the potential to impact their teams. Some look to be competitive within their discipline, while others look poised for a sweep of all three marks. 

Duan Asemota, 100m

Asemota may be the most sought after athlete in this draft, with the potential to shake up an already electric 100m division. CTFL star Usheoritse Itsekiri moving into the core category was big news ahead of the 2024 season, and his transition created fierce competition at the top-end of the discipline as the Nigerian went head-to-head with draft pick Elizier Adjibi. Now another lightning-fast athlete in Asemota is entering as a core athlete with potential to shock the discipline. Asemota is one of the country’s best 100m athletes. A member of Canada’s 2024 Olympic roster, the Ohio State alumni had an impressive outdoor season, clocking a 10.03 personal best in May and placing fourth in the Olympic trials before jetting off to Paris. Teams will be looking out for Asemota as he has the ability to challenge those sitting comfortably at the top. The 28-year-old’s best time sits directly in between reigning champion Itsekiri’s top time of 10.02 and Adjibi’s 10.04. All three athletes broke the 10-second mark last season, but faced wind illegality. With a hundredth of a second separating the trio, Asemota’s addition to the league will make for an even tighter race for discipline champion, and teams will want to add him to their roster in hopes of taking home big points.

Best Fit: Arctics, Spitfires

Sadé McCreath, 100m

McCreath could dominate the 100m, and teams will look to take her high because of it. The Bethune-Cookman University alumni was part of the 4x100m team that finished second at the 2024 World Athletics Relays Bahamas, securing Canada a relay spot for the Paris Olympics. In Paris, McCreath ran the first leg in a final that saw Canada finish sixth. On top of the Olympics, McCreath made her World Championships debut at the 2024 World Indoor Championships, finishing 32nd in the 60m. With a wind-legal 11.21 personal best, the 28-year-old has more than a tenth of a second on last season’s fastest sprinter, Donna Ntambue. Of her thirteen 100m races in 2024, only McCreath’s slowest – an 11.70 – would place her outside of the discipline’s top three. After Ntambue and the second-fastest sprinter – Roxane Tedga – were snatched high in last year’s draft, expect McCreath to go early. When the 2025 CTFL season starts, all four teams will be hoping to see McCreath don their singlet; but only one will be able to acquire her talent.

Best Fit: Arctics, Spitfires

Nicolas Belan, 1500m

The event’s third athlete included in this series so far, Belan will be another addition to a draft class filled with 1500m talent. Currently competing at the University of Guelph, Belan holds a 3:46.89 personal best in the event. Aside from an already competitive time, teams will be excited by the 2005-born athlete’s progress. Belan shaved almost ten seconds from his best between 2023-24 and finished sixth in the 2024 U20 National Championships. Teams may take Belan in hopes that the 19-year-old can continue his growth in the event. While Belan may look to sit just behind discipline leaders this coming season, he has legitimate potential to move up in the standings in the future, and teams will take note of that.

Best Fit: Spitfires, Bears