Only a month after working the second-fastest Canadian marathon in historical past on the Boston, Rory Linkletter was again making waves over the 42.2K distance at Sunday morning’s Ottawa Worldwide Marathon. The 28-year-old claimed the runner-up spot to Kenya’s Albert Korir in a blazing 2:08:31–the quickest time ever by a Canadian on Canadian soil.
Korir’s successful time was 2:08:22, and CJ Albertson of the U.S. took the bronze medal in 2:08:55.
“I’m all the time attempting to be among the best–if not the finest–on this nation,” Linkletter instructed Canadian Working. “Proper now, I’m assured saying I’m prime two, and I don’t wish to be two anymore.”
Korir ran away from the pack early within the race; he constructed an eight-second hole by midway, and stretched his result in 14 seconds by 30K. Linkletter and Albertson held the second and third positions for almost all of the occasion; within the ultimate stretch, the Canadian made a last-ditch try and chase down the Kenyan, kicking laborious, however needed to accept second.
Linkletter nonetheless managed to shatter Canadian marathoner Cam Levins‘ 2018 efficiency of two:09:25 (the earlier quickest Canadian marathon on Canadian soil) by almost a minute.
“Cam’s positively bought the throne,” Linkletter mentioned. “He’s nonetheless round and he’s nonetheless kicking. I’m gunning for him, however he’s impressed me in all the pieces I’ve performed. Seeing him have success over the past a number of years has actually helped me imagine I can do this kind of stuff. It’s been superb and I’m actually thrilled with the efficiency.”
Surprisingly, Linkletter’s sixth-place end and large private finest of two:07:02 at Boston, lower than 5 weeks earlier, appeared to have little impact on his efficiency in Ottawa. “I felt stronger than I ever have within the final little bit of a marathon I used to be working this quick in,” he mentioned. “I’m not going to make a behavior out of it, however having a 42K laborious effort 34 days in the past positively gave me some callousing in my legs. I can see why CJ by no means dies in marathons–he’s simply doing so a lot of them.” Albertson additionally raced Boston, inserting 14th in 2:10:16.
The victory marks Korir’s second time successful the occasion; he additionally gained the Ottawa title in 2019. The Kenyan mentioned he felt sturdy–nice, the truth is–and his coaching was good main as much as the occasion. Nevertheless, when the solar got here out within the ultimate half-hour of the occasion, the warmth bought a bit too heat for his liking. However he wasn’t nervous–even Linkletter’s ultimate kick didn’t shake his confidence. “I knew the hole was too far for him to shut,” Korir instructed Canadian Working.
Ladies’s outcomes
Kenya’s Mercy Chelangat made her long-awaited–and really spectacular–marathon debut, clocking 2:23:33 to win by greater than 4 minutes. Visiline Jepkesho, additionally of Kenya, claimed second in 2:28:09, whereas Ethiopia’s Meseret Gebre took third in 2:30:46.
Quebec Metropolis’s Anne-Marie Comeau was the highest Canadian finisher; she fell simply in need of the rostrum with a fourth-place end, however managed a private finest of two:33:10. “My A objective was 2:30,” she instructed Canadian Working. “However within the marathon, we have to adapt a bit and see the way it’s occurring the day. I’m comfortable concerning the PB.”
Subsequent on her radar would be the Canadian Half-Marathon Championships in Edmonton in August; she additionally certified for the vertical race at September’s 2025 World Mountain and Path Working Championships in Spain.
For full outcomes from the Ottawa Worldwide Marathon, click on right here.
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