The Canadian Marathon Championships return to the streets of Toronto Sunday, October 16 in conjunction with the Canada Running Series Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The event holds the prestigious IAAF Gold Label distinction and will feature a world-class field to challenge the top Canadians.
Only a few months removed from Rio, Olympians Eric Gillis of Antigonish, N.S., and Krista DuChene of Brantford, Ont., headline a strong group of Canadian distance runners competing for the national marathon title.
DuChene represented Canada this summer in her first Olympic Games, placing 35th in a time of 2:35:29. Along with DuChene, the women’s Canadian Championship elite field includes Rachel Hannah of Toronto, Ont., Leslie Sexton of London, Ont., and Tarah Korir of St. Clements, Ont.
Hannah won the Canadian track 10,000-metres title this summer and took bronze in the 2015 Pan Am Games marathon. Sexton’s 2:33:23 was good for silver at last year’s Canadian Marathon Championships. She’ll look to jump up one more spot on the podium. Korir represented Canada at 2016 World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff, Wales. She looks to replicate that success at double the distance in Toronto. Other Canadians to watch out for include Erin Burrett of Nanaimo, B.C., and Dayna Pidhoresky of Vancouver, B.C.
The men’s national championship race should be interesting as Olympian Eric Gillis of Antigonish, N.S., plans to go after Jerome Drayton’s Canadian marathon record of 2:10:09. Gillis is the two-time defending Canadian champion and placed a solid tenth at this summer’s Rio Olympic Games. Kip Kangogo of Lethbridge, Alta., was second last year behind Gillis. Other Canadians who could feature in the mix are 2015 Canadian Marathon Championship bronze medallist John Mason of Drumbo, Ont., Tristan Woodfine of Guelph, Ont., and David Le Porho of Montréal, Que.
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon offers $25,000 to the overall winner, the deep international field includes both last year’s defending champion and runner-up Ishhimael Chemtan and Gilbert Kirwa of Kenya. Full list of elite field.
You can catch all the action live on www.athleticscanada.tv or through the Athletics Canada app (iOS / Android) beginning at 8:45 a.m. ET Sunday.
Prize pool – click for full details
Open men and women
1st - $25,000 2nd - $15,000 3rd - $8,000 4th - $6,000 5th - $4,000 6th - $3,000 7th - $2,500 8th - $2,000
Men’s course record (2:07:05) bonus of $35,000
Women’s course record (2:22:43) bonus of $35,000
Canadian Championship men and women
Gold - $5,000 Silver - $3,000 Bronze - $2,000 4th - $1,000 5th - $300 6th - $200
Visit Athletics Canada at the Running, Health & Fitness Expo Thursday and Friday at the Direct Energy Centre. We’re on-site with an assortment of special gear including limited edition Team Canada running shoes and a wide array of race singlets and shorts.
