News & Releases >> 2005 >> Sep 21 2005
NEWS Sep 21 2005
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon provides last chance for Francophone Games Qualifiers
TORONTO. 21 September 2005.
This Sunday's flat, fast Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon course will provide a last chance for Canadian hopefuls to make a qualifying time for the Francophone Games / Jeux de la Francophonie, to be staged December 7th to 17th in Naimey, Niger. A 100% funded team, the group going to Niger will signal Athletics Canada's first step on the road to Beijing 2008. The qualifying standards are 2:25 for men and 2:49 for women.
Given the Waterfront's reputation for fast times, Athletics Canada specifically extended the qualifying date from September 10th, to the 25th, for the marathon selection only, in a decision made in June. According to Martin Goulet, Director of Endurance Programmes at Athletics Canada, "JDLF represent an important, developmental Games in our Beijing plans, and we wanted to provide at least one really good opportunity to qualify in a Canadian race that is IAAF approved. Toronto Waterfront Marathon is flat, almost at sea level, and is elite-athlete-friendly."
Taking up the challenge will be up and coming prospects Steve Osaduik of Nanaimo, BC and Kevin Beatty of Waterloo, ON. The 26-year-old Osaduik has a PR of 2:24:27, and Beatty a 2:21:42, run last Fall in Chicago. As an added incentive, both will be wearing "Team Canada" vests this Sunday, as they line up in an Official International Team Challenge versus Team GB (2 men, 2 women per team). Osaduik is in good form and will be taking aim at Jim Finlayson's 2:18:21, the fastest Canadian men's time over the last 15 months, run in Ottawa in May. Ken Myers of Calgary, with a PR of 2:24:50, will also be taking a serious run at the standard.
In contrast to the men, the women's side of Team Canada is made up of experienced veterans, Sandy Jacobson of Edmonton and Tania Jones of Toronto, who should both register qualifying times. While the 39-year old Jacobson is not expected to be close to her 2003 best-time of 2:33:51, she should run around 2:40, as should Jones (age 36), who was second at the Niagara Falls Marathon last October in 2:41:28. They will be in tough against their Team GB counterparts, Lucy Hasell and Amy Stiles, from Bristol AC, who both ran 2:39 at London in April.
Beyond Jacobson and Jones, there is a large group of Canadian women with an outside chance of making the JDLF standard. Kim House of Thunder Bay, ON, Heather Goodfellow of Halifax, NS, and Michelle Schuler and Liz Maguire of Ottawa will all have their eyes on the clock and a ticket to Niger.
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon start time is 7:30am this Sunday, 25th. A record 2,500+ runners are expected to toe the line for the full marathon, with over 10,000 total participants from more than 30 countries and 40 states taking part in the combined events on the day (42k, 21k, and 5k). Almost 25% of the marathon runners will be "internationals", another record for the 6th year of the event. With 11 Neighbourhood Cheering & Entertainment Centres along the course, spectators are urged to check the race website for best locations to watch the action: http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/en/spectators.htm.
For info on JDLF see http://www.jeux2005.ne/ and http://www.athleticscanada.com/article.asp?id=4679.