By: Jonathan Yue
Four Canadian athletes are set to compete at the WPA World Marathon Championships on Sunday, April 28, looking to use their vast experiences in the marathon to their advantage in a challenging London, England, course.
“The London Marathon is a very technical course,” said Brent Lakatos, who will be competing in his second London Marathon. “I have spent a lot of time studying the course to prepare. There are a lot of places throughout the race where you have to be extremely aware of the course and your position within the peloton, as a simple slip up can mean getting dropped by the peloton.”
A team with an array of experiences, Lakatos will join marathon veteran Joshua Cassidy, 2018 Commonwealth gold medallist Alexandre Dupont and fellow 2017 newcomer Tristan Smyth.
The London Marathon will serve as a 2020 Paralympic Games qualifier, giving each athlete the opportunity to solidify their spot on Canada’s Paralympic Team. This weekend’s programme will also mirror that of Tokyo 2020, therefore, folks in London will see some of the world’s best marathoners take on the course. With experience racing in the streets of London, Lakatos and Cassidy expect a great atmosphere and will be looking to feed off it, both having top five finishes in their sights.
“My goal is to finish in the top five,” said Lakatos. “I will use the experience from last year to help me get through some of the more challenging areas.”
“The energy at the London Marathon is incredible,” added Cassidy. “There is fantastic support on the streets and an incredible organizing committee. Since London is so challenging, all these factors make it a very rewarding experience.”
As for Dupont and Smyth, head coach of Canada’s WPA World Marathon Championships team, Rick Reelie says they are ready to take on the marathon in the British capital. Looking for redemption after a serious crash prior to last year’s race, Dupont is focused on this year’s World Marathon Championships.
“I have been working a lot on my speed endurance,” said Dupont. “I know how fast I can take some of the corners and where some athletes might try to attack.”
“After a top 10 result in the Chicago marathon last October, Dupont has shown he is competitive at the longer distance,” added Reelie. “Smyth is the purpose-built marathoner. The 2018-19 season being his first full year on the World Marathon circuit, he is continually becoming more comfortable and competitive, he’ll be looking for another strong performance in his first London Marathon.”
Smyth, who is also coming off his first Boston Marathon this year, believes that he’s gaining more experience and confidence with every race. With the competitive field at the Boston Marathon, Smyth feels it has prepared him for the WPA World Marathon Championships.
“It was definitely a great experience being my first Boston Marathon,” said Smyth, who finished 12th. “I have what it takes to succeed at the WPA World Marathon Championships, now I just have tap into it.”
When asked about his goal for the World Marathon Championships, he answered confidently. “Winning. Always.”
WPA World Marathon Championships action is set to begin at 4:05 a.m. ET / 1:05 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 28.
