Perdita Felicien won her ninth Canadian championship over friendly rival Priscilla Lopes-Schliep in an exciting duel in the 100-metre hurdles at the Canadian track and field championships on Saturday.

Felicien, ranked fourth in the world, overcame a so-so start with a strong middle section at the University of Toronto track, holding off Lopes-Schliep, the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist.

Felicien, of Pickering, Ont., crossed in 12.72 seconds, 3-100ths of a second ahead of Lopes-Schliep of Whitby, Ont. Two-time Olympian Angela Whyte of Edmonton was third in 13 flat.

Felicien’s career has been filled with triumph as well as disappointment. After winning the 2003 IAAF World Championship gold medal and the 2004 World Indoor Championships gold, she hit the first hurdle at the 2004 Athens Olympics and failed to finish. Then an injury forced her to watch the Beijing Olympics from the sideline. Lopes-Schliep won the bronze medal in Beijing.

All week, the pair had been fulfilling media obligations for both Nike and Athletics Canada. Though their relationship appears more cordial than ever they were both filled with stress leading up the final.

"This has probably the most stressed, not necessarily a bad stress, but the most I have been affected," Felicien confirmed. "I kind of felt that here because my whole family is here I am expected to perform and a lot is expected. Of course you want to come out and do well."

The champion admitted that, like Lopes-Schliep, she had been annoyed when told by organizers she would not be allowed to use the Christmas tree-shaped spikes in her shoes, which she has been using at tracks across Europe. And, she also had words for the starters.

"The starters here they hold you extremely long," she said, "and if you compare them to world-class starters you don't hold athletes who are on edge all that long. I was listening to other races and getting the rhythm [of the commands] in my head."

Felicien and Lopes-Schliep had dozens of friends and family members in the stands who wore T-shirts emblazoned with their portraits on them. The silver medallist summed up the race with a smile.

"It was a close one. I had a really good start but I hit a hurdle in the middle," Lopes-Schliep said. "I keep saying you never know what's going to happen in a race, you have to clear 10 hurdles. Today was her day so, congratulations."

Felicien told CBC Sports, "I'm in a bit of a transition with a new program and new coach and my performance has been up and down all season. Their goal is London [Olympics] as well as mine."

Felicien, who turns 30 in August, has been working with U.S. coaches Rana Reider and Loren Seagrave after longtime coach Gary Winckler retired.

As significant an achievement as Felicien's nine titles is, Diane Cummins did her one better, taking her 10th championship gold medal at the age of 36.

The Victoria native kicked hard over the last 200 metres of the 800-metres and was able to hold off the challenge of Lemlem Ogbasilassie of Saint Laurent, Que. Cummins crossed in 2:02.06, with Ogbasilassie recording a time of 2:03.11 for the silver.

"I expected it to be a slow kicker's race," said Cummins, who is returning from foot surgery a year ago. "I have been training for the 1,500 and I am really strong. My training has given me a lot of confidence to run the race anyway the race presents itself.

"Lemlem was really quick the first 200 metres. I happened to find myself in front and had the confidence I could kick if she came up on me."

Leading up to the men’s 100 sprint final, the big question was whether Sam Effah’s Canadian leading time of 10.06 seconds earlier this year was an aberration. His personal best had been 10.22 until that point. But with his gold medal victory in 10.21, the University of Calgary sprinter confirmed he is a runner to watch in the next couple of years.

Effah took the measure of fellow Canadian relay team member Jared Connaughton who finished second in 10.28, with Michael Leblanc third in 10.37.

"I am happy. I came here to win," Effah said, "Time was not a factor. I raced in Florida and I ran a really fast time but it all matters on how you do head to head against your competitors and fellow relay team members. I think it was an 'A' standard for the Commonwealth. I just wanted to come here for the win and I did."

Charlottetown's Connaughton won the 200 on Friday.

As expected, Dylan Armstrong of Kamloops, B.C., won the shot put gold medal with little opposition. His winning throw was 20.55 metres, more than three metres better than anyone else. This season he has thrown more than 21 metres nine times, and has only been consistently beaten by U.S. champion Christian Cantwell.

The silver medal went to Andrew Smith with a throw of 17.75 metres.

Armstrong admitted, when pressed, that it is a minor annoyance to break up the European circuit by coming home for the national championships.

"Yeah it is, but you know it's part of our financial agreement with Athletics Canada and Sport Canada, I guess, that we participate in this event," he said. "Got to do it, man.

"My form is not up to par right now. I am tired, I am sore, I am pushing rally hard. If I get a couple of days rest I will be fine for the rest of the European circuit."

Armstrong leaves Sunday for the Stockholm Diamond League meet.

Toronto's Carline Muir won the women’s 400 in a time of 52.4 seconds, but fell short of achieving the Commonwealth Games standard.

"It felt good but I really wish the time was better," she said. "I am disappointed with the time but I am very happy with the win."

There was an upset of sorts in the men's 1,500 where 2008 Olympian Taylor Milne found himself leading with 800 metres remaining and tried to control the race from the front. Olivier Collin of St. Lazare, Que., took off at the bell lap and simply ran away from the field.

Collin, 21, who will attend Fresno State University in the fall, won in 3:44.04. He has run 3:38.25 this season.

Geoff Martinson of Prince George, B.C., also caught Milne to snatch the silver medal in 3:45.16. Milne was timed in 3:45.17 for the bronze.

"I knew I could close well in the last 400 metres," Collin said. "I did it [before]. Today would be no different. I wasn't sure if Taylor was going to go with me or not. I just kept going.

"It's the first year I have been injury free. Last year I was out the whole summer. This year has been good. I am in shape."