Ethiopian Women Dominate a Windy TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon by Paul Gains

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As some predicted Ethiopian women swept the first four places at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon today but the seven second gap between the winner Buze Diriba and Fozya Jemal confirmed the women’s race in this World Athletics Elite label race was one for the ages.

Buze crossed the finish line in 2:23:11 on a day where a cold 22km/hour wind wrecked chances of anyone breaking Kenyan Magalyne Masai’s 2019 course record (2:22:16). Joining her on the podium were Waganesh Mekasha (2:23:12) and Afera Godfay (2:23:15).

The four had closely followed the excellent pacemaking of Canada’s Kevin Coffey who pointed to upcoming fueling stations, potholes at the side of the road and encouraged them all the way through the first half in 1:11:01 and onto 30km where he stopped. It was here that Waganesh Mekasha – the 2023 Ottawa Marathon winner – suffered a fuel bottle mishap. But Diriba’s confidence grew the closer to the finish they ran.

“I have been training well and I was expecting to win but after 40km I was confident,” said the winner, who lived for a time in Albuquerque, New Mexico and can understand and speak English well. “I knew I could finish well.  With one kilometer left I felt it was possible and I think I was focused in the last 500 meters, and I kept pushing. I didn’t see my time.”

Asked if she feared one of her rivals might catch her, she laughed and nodded.

“It was windy, but I managed. I was ok,” she offered. Her result was a substantial improvement over her previous marathon personal best – 2:28:06 from the 2019 Houston Marathon. 

The men’s field agreed at Saturday’s technical meeting they wanted to run 2:07 pace taking into consideration the cross wind forecasted. So, when the lead pack passed the halfway point in 62:30 observers worried they had gone too fast.

Once the eager pacemakers had dropped out by 30km the Kenyan duo of Alfred Kipchirchir and Elvis Cheboi set out after the C$20,000 first place prize money. Kipchirchir has three times beaten 60 minutes in the half marathon distance and Toronto Waterfront was his debut at the full distance. The early pace took its toll, and he faded in the final kilometers. 

Cheboi won in 2:09:20, a new personal best. 

“It was a very tough course,” he said. “I managed it. I don’t know, I think it was about 30km or more that I broke away. I made a move but later on it was very tough and windy.

“The first half was very fast but the end one was very tough, so I struggled a little bit.”

Cheboi had only arrived in Toronto on Friday night having missed his flight from Eldoret to Nairobi. Landing in Toronto he was briefly detained by Canadian immigration authorities, so he was all smiles once he settled into the race hotel. 

A jovial character, he gifted his winner’s laurels to the anti-doping control officer who accompanied him to the awards ceremony and post-race press conference.

As Kiprchirchir paid for his overzealous start, Adugna Takele of Ethiopia passed him to claim second place in 2:10:26. 

“Overall, I am happy with second place, but it was really windy,” Adugna admitted. “I couldn’t’push through it. The course is good but the wind?”

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon also served as the 2023 Canadian Marathon Championships. The men’s and women’s winners were both surprises and both marathon debutantes.

Carolyn Pomerleau of Quebec City ran 2:34:44 to capture the $8,000 winner’s purse along with the gold medal, while Vancouver’s Thomas Broatch took the men’s race running solo for most of the second half. He ran 2:16:25 which also earned him sixth place overall.

“It’s an interesting distance. A lot of things people told me about the marathon were true,” Broatch, who was still running 1,500m races four months ago said. “The first half I felt really easy. I thought I was going to be able to pick it up but then in the final 7 or 8km I was surprised how much I slowed down. Thankfully it was really late in the race.”

Meanwhile Pomerleau was delighted and surprised with her performance.

“They didn’t think about me, they were like ‘who is this girl we don’t know her?’” She said with a good nature laugh.

“It’s my first marathon of all time. My half marathon personal best was 1:13:14 and I ran that in Ottawa. I finished third in the Canadian 10km championship with 33:16 so the time in my 10k is more competitive than in the marathon. I only had eight weeks of training for this marathon. I was ok. My goal was to do a sub 2:35 and I did it.”

Among the many Americans who were using Toronto Waterfront to either qualify for the US Olympic Trials or to bolster their confidence going into that race, Emily Durgin, a resident of Flagstaff, Arizona came out on top. She finished fifth overall in personal best 2:26:46.

“I honestly didn’t know my pace; it was all over the place because of the wind,” Durgin revealed. “I ended up not going with the leaders because I thought that effort in the wind might be a little too much.

“I felt good honestly all the way through; this is a stepping stone for our Olympic trials in February. Getting that Olympic standard definitely gives you a little more confidence.  This isn’t a Berlin, this isn’t a Chicago, I kind of had to not compare my time to what women ran the past couple of weeks. At the trials I can take little more risk with the confidence this race has given me.”

This year’s TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon sold out with a record 5,849 entries. Along with the half marathon and the 5km run today, more than 25,000 runners enjoyed the weekend and $3 million was raised for 159 official charities, so many more than just the elite athletes went home happy.

2023 TCS TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON SEES NEW PODIUM PRESENCE AND RAISES $2.9 MILLION FOR CHARITY

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Elvis Kipchoge Cheboi and Buze Diriba Kejela win 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon; First time marathoners Thomas Broatch and Caroline Pomerleau win 2023 Athletics Canada Marathon Championship

TORONTO, ON (October 15, 2023) – More than 25,000 people from across Canada and around the world laced up and hit the pavement today for the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half marathon and 5K. In its 34th edition, the world-renowned marathon celebrated an incredible year of firsts. Four debut marathoners took home champion titles and the event saw record breaking participation. Registration for the main events sold out more than a month ahead of race day, participants hailed from 78 countries, and spectators supported from more cheer sites across the route than ever before. 

“The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has been a staple event for the City of Toronto since it began over 30 years ago, attracting over 25,000 participants annually from across the world,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. “Each year, the marathon brings our city to the world stage, encourages active living in our beautiful outdoor spaces and supports over 150 charities making an impact in Toronto’s communities. Congratulations to all those who ran, walked and wheeled in this year’s events, and thank you to all who have come together across the city to celebrate their achievements.” 

While windy conditions limited chances for records to be shattered, the international and Canadian women’s fields stood out with some unexpected and exciting outcomes. Ethiopian women swept the first four places, with Buze Diriba winning the Women’s Open title by just one second. First time marathoner Caroline Pomerleau also took the lead over Anne-Marie Comeau in the final kilometres to claim the Canadian Championship title. Among the several American women looking to qualify for the US Olympic Trials, Emily Durgin of Arizona came out on top finishing fifth overall in 2:26:46 —.a slender four seconds under the qualifying standard for the Paris Games.

The men showcased their resilience after an over-ambitious first half, with Elvis Kipchoge Cheboi of Kenya claiming the overall title and his own personal best at 2:09:20. Thomas Broatch brought a surprising win as the Canadian Champion in his debut marathon, coming in at 2:16:25 and sixth overall. With an array of joyful faces crossing the finish line, today’s event marked an exhilarating finale to the Canada Running Series.

“TCS is incredibly proud to cheer on our running community at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon,” said Soumen Roy, Executive Director and Country Head, Canada, TCS. “TCS is part of a global running community, and we are honoured to be leading the way to bring innovation and sustainability to the forefront of Canada’s premier running event, and continuing to build on belief together.”  

The marathon has been expanding its global presence, with a record of more than 2,000 international runners participating across all events. This year, the 2023 marathon, half marathon and 5K events had representation from all 13 Canadian provinces and territories, as well as 47 American states. 

“The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has always been about building community and this year was definitely one for the books, arguably the best we’ve ever had” said Alan Brookes, Race Director, TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. “We often hear that Toronto is described as the world within a city, and today we truly had the world in this city. With some of the highest energy we’ve ever seen on the course, we’re thrilled that our community pulled through once again this year to run, walk and wheel a combined 549,450 kms, raise an anticipated nearly $3 million for 159 charities, and once again make Toronto proud on the world stage.”

While the in-person event might be finished for the 2023 season, the virtual race can be completed until the end of October and TCS Charity Challenge donations are accepted until November. 13th. For those looking ahead to next year, registration for the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon will open tomorrow, Monday October 16, 2023.

2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Results

Open Men

  1. Elvis Kipchoge Cheboi (Kenya), 2:09:20
  2. Adugna Takele Bikila (Ethiopia), 2:10:26
  3. Alfred Kipchirchir Mukche (Kenya), 2:10:56

Open Women

  1. Buze Diriba Kejela (Ethiopia), 2:23:11
  2. Waganesh Mekasha (Ethiopia), 2:23:12
  3. Afera Godfey (Ethiopia), 2:23:15

2023 Athletics Canada Marathon Championship Results

Canadian Men

  1. Thomas Broatch, 2:16:25
  2. Benjamin Raymond, 2:20:15
  3. Sergio Raez Villanueva, 2:20:48

Canadian Women

  1. Caroline Pomerleau, 2:34:44
  2. Anne-Marie Comeau, 2:34:51
  3. Dayna Pidhoresky, 2:35:50

For more highlights and complete race results, please visit: www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com 

2023 Guiness World Record *Unofficial Results 

*Results to be confirmed by Guinness World Records

  • Fastest Half Marathon run by a married couple (aggregate time):
    Garret Lee and Amy Duba, 2:32:12
  • Fastest half marathon dressed as an elf:
    Melvin Nyairo, 1:15:48
  • Fastest Half Marathon run by three siblings
    Paulo, Fernando and Jose Carvalho, 3:57:02
  • Fastest half marathon dressed as a train engineer (female)
    Bridget Burns, 2:01:23
  • Fastest half marathon in a five person costume
    Dekel Chui, Tom Brooks, Andrew Bondoc, Derek Beaton, Jared Nylander, 1:48:59
  • Fastest Half Marathon dribbling a basketball (male)
    Chi Kit Cheung, 2:03:00
  • Fastest half marathon dressed as a crustacean (female)
    Frances Ferrabee, 2:15:01
  • Fastest Marathon in highland Dress (male)
    Denis Bilyard, 3:20:12
  • Fastest marathon dressed as a mountain climber (male)
    Clodoaldo Pasquini, 3:11:54
  • Fastest marathon dressed in traditional Chinese dress (male)
    Jun Liu, 3:54:35
  • Fastest marathon dribbling a basketball (female)
    Maria Babineau, 3:57:40

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About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process. 

To learn more about the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com

About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 50 years. TCS offers a consulting-led, cognitive powered, integrated portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions. This is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.

A part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 614,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $27.9 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. 

For more information, visit www.tcs.com  

About Canada Running Series (CRS)

Canada Running Series is the nation’s premier running circuit with 7 events, 4 in Toronto, 2 in Vancouver, and 1 in Montreal. It annually attracts over 50,000 participants and raises more than $6 million for some 320 mostly-local charities. The Series includes the World Athletics Gold Label TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, and the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships. Since 1999, CRS has gained international recognition for innovation and organization. To learn more about CRS, visit https://canadarunningseries.com/.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Canada Running Series:

Laurel Bury

media@canadarunningseries.com 

Tata Consultancy Services:

Tiffany Fisher

tiffany.fisher@tcs.com 

Running Newcomer Samantha Jory to Race TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon   

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by Paul Gains  

TORONTO, ON (September 28, 2023) – Meteoric is one way to describe the rise of Samantha Jory’s running career which has already resulted in a bronze medal at the 2023 Canadian Half Marathon Championship. 

The 28-year-old from Duncan, British Columbia has raced competitively for a little over a year and announced herself locally with a shock victory at the 2022 Vancouver Half Marathon. More than a few bewildered onlookers asked ‘Who was that?”  

Her story makes a compelling read as she prepares herself for the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 15.  

“I think, based on my training, if I have a really good day I could probably run a 2:36. I hope,” Jory offers. “Anywhere around 2:37 I would be happy with.  I don’t think about placement as I am going to be more focused on executing the race properly.” 

Remarkably her first ever race was the 2022 Vancouver Marathon where she finished 6th in 2:50:22. Nothing spectacular but not bad for someone with little proper training. Indeed, her running only began during the pandemic when she was unable to access her membership at a Vancouver Gold’s gym. 

“I needed some outlet for my stress and my energy levels and I just thought I will do what everybody else is doing and that was running,” she explains. “I didn’t have the money at the time for a bike.  

“I’d run recreationally, maybe 20 kilometres a week, a handful of times so I thought I would start with a few 5km races. After a few months I ran my first 10k and thought that was the biggest accomplishment ever. It felt like such a long way. Certainly, it is an accomplishment.” 

Jory laughs at the memory. Some friends introduced her to Strava and then she began comparing her times and pace to others. 

One day while out on a tempo run in Vancouver’s Stanley Park she crossed paths with Canadian marathon record holder, Natasha Wodak, who called out to her.  A short while later Wodak contacted Jory on Instagram and the two became friends.  Wodak calls her ‘super talented’ and has been writing a marathon training program for her the past few months. 

“Natasha agreed to help me for this (Toronto Waterfront) marathon which is really special for me,” Jory admits. “She has been really supportive. I probably do a little bit more than what she prescribes in terms of distance in a week – I am not really diligent with my rest days. But she doesn’t have to know this.” 

Again Jory laughs. In order to get in her roughly 130 kilometres a week she must sometimes rise at 4:00 a.m. in order to get in a morning run.  With a Master’s degree in Health Leadership and Policy she is often ‘on call’ in her capacity as an organ donation specialist with BC Transplant. It’s a stressful job. 

“It involves meeting with families and going over consent,” she reveals, “helping the Intensive Care Unit work with the patient up to becoming a donor in terms of diagnosis and blood work, then doing all the recipient matching and organizing the operating room with the recipients, with the surgeons, with the family involved. So it’s a lot of organizational work. 

“I am part-time with this team right now. When I am on call I am on call for the whole province so it can be really long days and really long nights when we have multiple cases on the go.” 

Jory studied nursing at the University of Alberta where she also played rugby for the varsity team. Having played high school rugby and earning a spot on the BC provincial team she received a small scholarship to play for the ‘Pandas’ club.  In her first year she was a member of the team that beat the University of Guelph to win the 2013 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now U-Sports) championship. 

“Yes we did win CIS my first year,” she says showing her excitement. “I actually got to start because one of our senior players was injured. So I played the whole game which was special for me as a rookie.” 

After graduating in 2017 she remained in Edmonton for almost three years working in the Cardiovascular Surgery Intensive Care Unit at the Mazankowski Heart Institute. She admits the circumstances she encountered were sometimes intolerable. How did she cope? 

“A lot of debriefing with colleagues,” she remembers, “and their camaraderie helps a lot. And some therapy here and there but mostly it’s something you just become accustomed to, unfortunately.” 

Backed by the Canadian record holder and with a consistent training program these past few months Jory’s build has been going well.  

Last weekend in the midst of her marathon training she finished 3rd in the Under Armour Eastside 10km (34:42) twenty-seven seconds behind two-time Canadian Olympian Andrea Seccafien.  Will a new Canadian marathon star show herself on the streets of Toronto? Her story just gets better. 

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TOMMY THOMPSON PARK CLEANED UP AND GREENED UP WITH TCS TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON

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TORONTO, ON (September 29, 2023) – Today, Canada Running Series partnered with sustainability advocates at Trees for Life and Trans Canada Trail to bring the community together at Tommy Thompson Park for a day of environmental stewardship in preparation for the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The tree planting and ‘plogging’ (picking up trash and jogging) event brought together 60 runners, supporters and community members to plant 350 trees and collect trash along 5 km of the Trans Canada Trail. Held at Tommy Thompson Park, a reclaimed and rewilded part of the Trans Canada Trail, the event was part of a larger initiative to enhance Toronto’s outdoor recreational and public spaces, and to encourage the public to get outside and get active.

“We at Trees for Life are extremely grateful for the support that has been generated as a result of our partnership with Canada Running Series and the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon,” said Mark Cullen, President & Co-Founder of Trees for Life. “The funds raised help us to support planting partnerships like the one we have with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority, where we were able to contribute to the planting of over 33,000 trees and shrubs across many sites in the GTA in one year alone. Few people enjoy public green spaces and shaded trailways more than those in the running community, so from our perspective, our partnership with CRS has a multitude of highly valuable benefits.”

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is one of Canada’s premier running events taking place on October 15, 2023, and was awarded an Evergreen Certification earlier this year by the Council for Responsible Sport. The marathon, half marathon and 5K bring together participants from across the globe, and is a unifying landmark event for Toronto having raised over $50 million for Canadian charities since 2003.

“We hope to lead by example with our commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Alan Brookes, President of Canada Running Series. “The Council for Responsible Sport honoured the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon as one of the few marathons with an Evergreen certification distinction, and we plan to continue our efforts through all facets of the marathon. We are so pleased to continue to work with our charity partners once again this year to have the kinds of events that make lasting impacts in our community far beyond the race weekend.”

Trees for Life hosted the tree planting and plogging event with the Trans Canada Trail as the feature charity partners of the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Charity Challenge. Joining participants were City Councillor Paula Fletcher; Mark Cullen, President & Co-Founder of Trees for Life; Alan Brookes, President at Canada Running Series; Soumen Roy, Executive Director and Country head at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS); Cheryl Hanson, Vice-President and Chief Development Officer at Trans Canada Trail; and Vince D’Elia with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).

“The Trans Canada Trail is built on partnerships like this one, that support environmental stewardship and improved trail accessibility,” says Eleanor McMahon, President & CEO of Trans Canada Trail. “We’re thrilled to be part of this collective endeavour to maintain beautiful and accessible trails for the thousands of people who walk, run and roll on the Trail every day across Canada.”

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is renowned for its scenic route, cheerful atmosphere, and commitment to sustainability and charitable causes, attracting participants from across the world, including elite athletes, amateur runners, and avid enthusiasts. All are encouraged to join the tens of thousands who celebrate Toronto and over 150 impactful causes every year for the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon as runners, spectators and donors alike. To support Trees for Life and Trans Canada Trail in their efforts to continue improving our outdoor spaces, you can donate to their race teams through the TCS Charity Challenge.

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About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process.

To learn more about the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.

About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 50 years. TCS offers a consulting-led, cognitive powered, integrated portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions. This is delivered through its unique Location Independent AgileTM delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.

A part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 614,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $27.9 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index.

For more information, visit www.tcs.com

About Canada Running Series (CRS)

Canada Running Series is the nation’s premier running circuit with 7 events, 4 in Toronto, 2 in Vancouver, and 1 in Montreal. It annually attracts over 50,000 participants and raises more than $6 million for some 320 mostly-local charities. The Series includes the World Athletics Gold Label TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, and the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships. Since 1999, CRS has gained international recognition for innovation and organization. To learn more about CRS, visit https://canadarunningseries.com/.

About Trans Canada Trail

The Trans Canada Trail (the Trail) is the longest recreational trail in the world, spanning over 28,000 kilometres on land and water. Linking three oceans – the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic – the Trail connects 15,000 rural, urban and Indigenous communities across every province and territory. It is a ribbon that connects Canada’s diverse landscapes, seasons, people and experiences, and fosters unity, collaboration and connectedness. Trans Canada Trail is a registered charity and stewards this national trail in collaboration with local Trail partners. With funding from the Government of Canada through Parks Canada, and investments from all levels of government and generous donors, Trans Canada Trail is the largest investor in trail infrastructure projects in Canada, supporting improvements, growth and enhancements for generations to come. tctrail.ca

About Trees for Life

Trees for Life is a national charity that is helping green communities and honour local heroes by planting trees. Through organized planting and providing tree planting organizations with tools, resources and networks to enable them to grow, Trees for Life is proud to do their part to ensure the Canadian government’s commitment to planting two billion trees is realized. The organization is one of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon’s sustainability partners, alongside Trans-Canada Trail. Trees for Life’s mission is to create a happier, healthier Canada by planting native trees and shrubs where communities live, work and play.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Laurel Bury
Sutherland Corporation Laurel@sutherlandcorp.ca

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Celebrates Sustainability and Artistic Excellence With 2023 Medal Reveal Event

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TORONTO, ON (June 21, 2023) – Canada Running Series unveiled the highly anticipated 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon medal this evening at the iconic CN Tower. The reveal took place as part of a special Canada Running Series event, with participants running from Great Lakes Brewpub to the CN Tower to view the medal for the first time and then back in celebration of the new design and anticipation of the upcoming 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Attendees had the opportunity to witness the unveiling and learn about its design from the artist firsthand.

“We are thrilled to finally share the remarkable new medal design with our TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon community,” said Charlotte Brookes, Event Director of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. “The marathon is such a standout event for Toronto on both a local and global scale. What better way to recognize this than to showcase our city’s most iconic landmark, the CN Tower, on this year’s medals, and to have the tower itself as the backdrop to this exciting celebration.” 

The new medals will be awarded to all 25,000 race participants, with variations for distance. Designed by artist Inge Johnson, the medals are crafted from recycled zinc metal. This is a testament to the marathon’s commitment to be the most sustainable event in Canada, as highlighted through their recent Evergreen Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport. 

“By choosing to use recycled materials, we are not only recognizing the beauty of the design but also reinforcing our dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship,” said Soumen Roy, Executive Director and Country Head, Tata Consultancy Services, Canada. “These medals represent the marathon’s ongoing efforts to make a positive impact through the work we do, both in the community and environmentally. We hope to inspire participants and supporters to adopt more eco-friendly practices.”

“I want to commend TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon for their commitment to sustainability when designing these new medals,” said David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “Sustainability is a collective responsibility that requires leadership from across sectors. These actions align with Ontario’s commitment to protecting our land, air and water and ensuring a safe, healthy, and clean environment now and for future generations.”

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is renowned for its scenic route, cheerful atmosphere, and commitment to charitable causes, attracting participants from across the world, including elite athletes, amateur runners, and avid enthusiasts. The event’s sustainability goals extend to all facets of the marathon, including the TCS Charity Challenge, with this year’s featured charities being Trees for Life and Trans Canada Trail. 

Join the tens of thousands who celebrate Toronto every year for the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. #ChooseTORun by registering to participate, #ChooseTOGive through the TCS Charity Challenge or #ChooseTOCelebrate by lining the race route to support the participants on October 15, 2023. 

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About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process. 

To learn more about the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com

About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 50 years. TCS offers a consulting-led, cognitive powered, integrated portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions. This is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.

A part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 614,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $27.9 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. 

For more information, visit www.tcs.com  

MEDIA CONTACT:

Emma Hunt, Sutherland Corporation

emma@sutherlandcorp.ca

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Earns Evergreen Certification for Commitment to Sustainability and Community Impact

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The Council for Responsible Sport certified the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon with the highest distinction possible 

TORONTO April 10, 2023: The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon (TWM), Canada’s premier running event, has been newly awarded with an Evergreen certification by the Council for Responsible Sport, earning the race the highest distinction possible for outstanding social, environmental, economic and community impact. 

TWM’s successful efforts to make the event as sustainable as possible included: diverting 85.9% of waste away from landfill, eliminating plastic bottles altogether at the event, using virtual event materials instead of paper wherever possible, collecting over 3,400 kg of used running clothing and shoe donations, and offsetting 100% of the race’s Scope 1 & 2 emissions. All these efforts were documented and diligently reported on in adherence to the Council for Responsible Sport’s rigorous certification standards.

Additionally, the marathon raised over $20,000 for its Sustainability Charity partners Trees for Life and Trans Canada Trail.

In its 2022 debut as the title sponsor of the marathon, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) — the global IT services, consulting, and business solutions company — used its tech expertise to boost the sustainable impact of the event, through sustainability education with the creation of its new official TWM app. 

Developed by TCS in collaboration with Canada Running Series (CRS) and Jen Cerullo, the project’s sustainability lead, the TCS TWM app promotes sustainability with the Sustainability Scorecard. Runners and spectators could use the app to measure a range of environmental factors, like travel choices and waste and plastics use, to learn more about the environmental impact of their race day. The app also empowered users to donate to Trans Canada Trail, a nonprofit invested in providing a more accessible experience across more than 28,000 km of national trails, or to Trees for Life’s tree-planting projects near the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon course.

In addition to the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon becoming more environmentally sustainable, it has also excelled at fundraising. In 2022, the TCS Charity Challenge raised $2.71 million for 150 charitable organizations.  Over $50 million total has been raised since the program began in 2003. 

Dian Vaugh, Council for Responsible Sport, Certification Verifier, Board Member commented: The Green Team set a Strategic Sustainability Plan focusing on details as they considered policies for 

purchasing, logistics, energy, waste, community inclusion, and outreach. TCS, as the new title sponsor, brought their expertise to the TWM App with a Sustainability Scorecard and gave a glimpse into the future events with the STEM goIT Challenge at the Expo. TCS Charity Challenge raised over 2.71 million dollars, truly making a difference for each participating charity and the community at large. TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon earned the Evergreen Certification by executing their plan for a healthy community and planet.”  

The sustainability efforts made by TWM were measured by ReScore, a first-of-its-kind app (designed by TCS, and used by the Council for Responsible Sport) that enables sporting event organizers to measure, track, report, and verify their progress on a broad range of environmental and social indicators. ReScore simplifies the approach for organizers who want to meet the increasing expectations of fans, athletes, sponsors, and host communities that sporting events be more sustainable and socially inclusive.

Haley Price, Head of Sports Sponsorships, TCS North America commented: “In our partnership with Canada Running Series, TCS is committed to enhancing the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon through innovative technology like the sustainability app, to promoting awareness of sustainability education, to amplifying charity partners, and to maximizing the positive impact of the event on the local community here in Toronto. We applaud the TCS Toronto Waterfront for setting the sustainability standard for endurance running races.”

“As a landmark Toronto event, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is fully committed to doing more to embody the very spirit of marathons, bringing the community together to celebrate the sport of running, promote healthy, sustainable lifestyles, and to give back to the local communities we run through.” said Charlotte Brookes, National Event Director of CRS & the Toronto Waterfront Marathon.  


About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2022 event, participants raised over $2.71 million for 150 community charities. Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, CRS stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process. To learn more about the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com

About Tata Consultancy Services

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 50 years. TCS offers a consulting-led, cognitive powered, integrated portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions. This is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.

A part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 616,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $25.7 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit www.tcs.com .

CRS interview requests:

Charlotte Brookes, National Event Director

Charlotte@canadarunningseries.com

647-830-7553

TCS interview requests:

Tiffany Fisher

Tiffany.Fisher@tcs.com

416-999-2140

A letter from Matt Kenny. On resilience.

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Content advisory: suicidal thoughts 


The following is a letter from Matt Kenny to the Toronto Waterfront Marathon team: 

My name is Matt, and I kept my story secret out of shame and fear but thought perhaps it was worthy of recognition. I have realized through recent conversations that it could help someone who may be silently suffering with their own battles. 

My dream had always been to run the Boston Marathon. As a casual runner who had completed only one marathon in the past, I was hooked. I had a two-year plan and was ready to set my sights on getting my Boston qualifying time. However, fate had different plans for me. A phone call would forever change my life in August 2021 – 30 mins into my 40th birthday party. After months of medical testing, they found lesions on my spinal cord, and I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).

The doctors did not sugarcoat it – “MS will almost always end in disability, and can include cognitive decline, blindness, and early death.” I was told to pick one of three treatments (chemotherapy being one), and I would start immediately. I stared blankly at the wall. 

Things quickly got worse. What started as numbness in the back of my right arm traveled to my feet. Every step was uncomfortable, and I felt like I was walking on marbles. Soon after, it affected my left leg. While jogging, electric shocks went through my legs, and I tripped and fell. I was at the track, surrounded by strangers. I hobbled to the infield and had a full-blown anxiety attack. Gasping for breath, tears mixed with sweat behind my sunglasses, as it hit me that I would never run the Boston Marathon. My body was giving up. 

Soon after my feet, the nerves in my legs had tremors 24/7 (a symptom of MS and Parkinson’s), my fingers became stiff, I started dropping things as I lost dexterity in my hands, and I had pains shooting down both arms. I lost feeling in my chest and could not tell when I was peeing, as all the feeling in my lower abdomen and groin was gone. I did not rise to this occasion like a character in some great novel; I buckled under the weight and spiralled into darkness.

As more symptoms appeared, I fell deeper into depression. My world experience had taught me that asking for help was a weakness, so I didn’t. The darkness continued to creep in, like cold hands around my throat, and one day, with my face pressed against the hard concrete floor, with all the blinds closed and very few options, I decided to take my own life. 

The future I was told I would be facing was not something I knew how to handle, and the thought of taking my life brought a sense of relief. It was an option not to suffer, to not become a burden to those I loved, and to take back control where I seemingly had none.

I began to find comfort in my weeks of depression when I picked up a book by Matt Haig – a best-selling author and known depressive. I opened a random page, and it had one single line of text:

“The answer is that you stay alive for other versions of you. For the people you will meet, yes, sure, but also the people you will be.”

I stared at the page. The very next day, I saw a handwritten note taped to a lamp post that said:

“One day, you will tell your story about how you overcame what you went through, and it will be someone else’s survival guide.”

And I cried, knowing that something in me had died and life could never be the same. I didn’t know how, but I knew I had to fight. And my new journey began. I refused all medical treatments and focused 24 hours a day on healing my body and mind naturally – I changed every aspect of my life – diet, sleeping patterns, stress reduction, stretching, strength and balance training, and movement.  

Before my diagnosis, I had signed up for the 2022 Miami Half Marathon, but two weeks out, I could only walk for 15 mins at a time, with special inserts in my shoes to feel my feet. I decided not to do it, terrified of making my symptoms worse, but on race day, I packed my race kit at 4 am and headed to the start line. If I was going down, I was going down swinging. 

I finished with a very slow ¼ mile walk, ¼ mile jog strategy, and when I saw the finish line, my mind shifted again. Maybe I could finish a full marathon despite everyone (and the internet) telling me this is the worst thing I could do in my condition. I refined my goals and turned 15 mins of walking into jogging, running, sprinting, and 15+ mile long distances. It took six months to fully “run” again, but I put one foot in front of the other and never looked back. 

And then, I set my sights on the 2022 Toronto Waterfront Marathon with the lofty goal of setting a personal best record. This was my sole focus for five months – no matter how bad my symptoms got, I got up on Sundays between 3:30–5 am and laced up my shoes to hit the pavement for my long runs. And on October 16, 2022, I crossed the finish line with a personal best time of 03:58:53, with friends and family lining the course, cheering my every stride. The race that quite legitimately saved me. 

A race that is likely painstaking to organize and coordinate and set up, but a race that, for some of us, is so much more than just a race – it was the focus that kept me going on the bad days and the goal that lit the fire in my guts to defy medical odds. Since crossing that finish line, I have now set my sights on being the first person with MS to complete all six World Marathon Majors, and last week, I was thrilled to find out that I had been accepted to run the Chicago Marathon in 2023, so yet another journey now begins. 

So, perhaps it’s time to write a new chapter about someone like me – an extraordinarily ordinary human diagnosed with MS who was shamed into accepting his fate. Someone who refused and instead clawed back from the edge, fought his demons, altered almost every facet of his life, threw on his running shoes, and rebuilt himself into running a personal best marathon time in his hometown because that’s my story. It has worth; it was what someone like me needed to hear to give me hope. To keep me alive.

To those who are struggling – stay with me. It is completely fine to fall apart. It is completely fine to be lost, to visit the darkness, and to cry, but please get back up and swing again and again, no matter how many times you miss. You have people in your corner, and we need you.

You are never alone. It gets better. You matter. You have worth. Take care of yourselves, and please look after each other.

Written by Matt Kenny

Follow Matt’s journey on Instagram @my_mssy_life

TCS Becomes Title Sponsor and Technology Partner of Toronto Waterfront Marathon Through 2026

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Tata Consultancy Services and Canada Running Series to Transform In-person and Virtual Runner Experience with New Official Hybrid Race App and Boost Sustainability Efforts

TORONTO | MUMBAI, January 18, 2022: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) has partnered with Canada Running Series (CRS) to become the new title sponsor and official IT services and technology consulting partner of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Virtual Race through November 2026.

This news follows TCS’ renewal of its title and technology sponsorship of the TCS New York City Marathon, as well as becoming the new title and technology sponsor of the TCS London Marathon this year.

Soumen Roy, Executive Director and Country Head, TCS Canada, said, “Running a marathon makes you believe that you can accomplish anything. We can’t wait to channel the spirit of building on belief by enhancing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon experience with innovative technology and trailblazing sustainability initiatives in our local communities.”

TCS and CRS aim to modernize marathon running in Canada through a new official race app. It will offer a first-of-its-kind environmental impact calculator that will enable runners and spectators to track and offset their environmental impact. TCS will also work with CRS to create a hybrid and immersive race experience for all runners and spectators around the globe.

The official race app will offer unlimited tracking of both in-person and virtual runners on the same racecourse map and let spectators create digital cheer cards to share messages of encouragement on social media. Runners will be able to share a link to friends and family that automatically initiates the app download with them already selected to be tracked. In addition, the app will incorporate augmented reality features that became popular during the pandemic to support both in-person and virtual runners, along with offering surprise-and-delight experiences.

We’re excited to begin our partnership with TCS and join a family of global, leading-edge marathons,” said Charlotte Brookes, National Event Director of CRS & the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. “It’s a unique opportunity to take our World Athletics Gold Label event to the next level and beyond, to greatly enhance the runner experience through innovative technology, to showcase athletic excellence, and to have a broader impact in building a healthy, caring, and sustainable Toronto. The new TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon race app will be a symbol of our collaboration that will connect, sustain and inspire us all whether we are participating in-person or virtually, from anywhere around the globe.” 

TCS will also donate 32,000 person-hours toward helping the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon become the most sustainable race in Canada. CRS’ goal is to achieve Evergreen Certification by 2022. When achieved, it will be the only race in Canada to attain this level of environmental certification from the Council of Responsible Sport.

Expanding on this commitment to technology and sustainability, TCS and CRS will be adding two new Charity Partners: Trans Canada Trail and Trees for Life Canada. Runners will have the opportunity to donate money towards Trans Canada Trails’ new AccessNow partnership that is creating accessibility mapping across its more than 28,000 km of National Trails, or Trees for Life’s tree planting projects along the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon racecourse.

It is great news that the Toronto Waterfront Marathon will be greener next year,” said David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “New tools will help participants to quantify and reduce their environmental impact while getting outside and enjoying the shores of Lake Ontario, and I commend TCS for their commitment to reducing the footprint of this flagship event.”

Registration for the 2022 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon will open January 25, 2022.

About Tata Consultancy Services

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 50 years. TCS offers a consulting-led, cognitive powered, integrated portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions. This is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.

A part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 556,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 46 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $22.2 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit www.tcs.com.

About the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2021 event, participants raised over $3.08 million for 151 community charities. Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process.

To learn more about the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.

For media inquiries:
Sam O’Neill, Marketing and Communications Coordinator
sam@canadarunningseries.com 

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 10K Returns to In-Person Racing with Sold-Out Field

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Leslie Sexton and Ben Flanagan win Canadian 10K Championships at Canada Running Series’ first race since the start of the pandemic.

TORONTO, ONTARIO, October 18, 2021 — The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 10K (STWM) took place on Sunday with a sold-out field of 5,000 participants, marking a welcomed return to in-person racing with Canada Running Series’ first in-person race since the beginning of the pandemic.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be returning to in-person racing with the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 10K, and to be partnering with Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend to host the Athletics Canada 10K Championships,” said Charlotte Brookes, National Event Director at Canada Running Series. “Even more, we’re honoured to be running for a cause, raising nearly $2 million so far for 151 local charities through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, putting us on track to raise $3 million this year.”

While Scottish star Sarah Inglis is the official winner of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 10K with a time of 31:59, Vancouver’s Leslie Sexton claimed the Canadian 10K Championships title in 32:04, taking 1:13 off her personal best. Sexton was followed by Cleo Boyd (33:21) and Natasha Wodak (33:33). Ben Flanagan impressed in his 10K debut, finishing in 28:42, and was closely followed by Olympians Lucas Bruchet (28:49) and Benjamin Preisner (28:53). Three-time Paralympian, Josh Cassidy, took first place in the wheelchair race in 21:50, an incredible redemption after being left off the Tokyo 2020 team.

“I’m super happy Sarah [Inglis] was in the race even though she wasn’t eligible for the Championship,” said Sexton of chasing Inglis throughout the race. “She was always close enough that I could see her and feel like I was chasing her, or at least just trying to hang on and keep the gap about the same. Having her pull me along was awesome. I ran a PB by like a minute and I’ve got her to thank in part for that.”

After spending some time racing in the US, securing the 10K Championships title on Canadian soil was incredibly special for Kitchener-native Flanagan, but it was not without a challenge. Bruchet and Preisner stayed close behind throughout, ensuring a competitive race for Flanagan’s 10K debut as they chased down the title.

“I’ve got a lot of experience with the 10K on the track, but I’ve never run a 10K on the road, so it’s nice to have an official PR and to dip under 29 minutes,” said Flanagan. “It was a very elite field, and everyone wanted it today so I knew it was going to be a pretty hard fight to the line. And that’s what ended up happening.”

Since 2003, $45 million has been raised as part of STWM’s Scotiabank Charity Challenge. STWM’s 2021 Scotiabank Charity Challenge is accepting donations as part of the challenge until November 15, 2021. Scotiabank pays for all related transaction and credit card fees, allowing participating charities to keep 100 percent of the proceeds raised.

To ensure the health and safety of participants, staff, volunteers, vendors, and media, verification of full vaccination was required to gain access to the race area. Staggered start times funnelled 50 waves of 100 people each across the start line to ensure social distancing on the course.

2021 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 10K Results

10K Wheelchair

  1. Josh Cassidy, 21:50

10K Women

  1. Sarah Inglis, 31:59
  2. Leslie Sexton [top Canadian], 32:04
  3. Cleo Boyd, 33:21
  4. Natasha Wodak, 33:33
  5. Alexandra Lucki, 33:57

10K Men

  1. Ben Flanagan, 28:42
  2. Lucas Bruchet, 28:49
  3. Benjamin Preisner, 28:53
  4. Justin Kent, 29:03
  5. Jeremy Coughler, 29:04

To see a list of charities involved in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge and to donate, please visit the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon website.

For additional highlights and race results, please visit www.stwm.ca.

Twitter and Instagram hashtags: #TOwaterfront42K, #MoveForwardTO, #runCRS

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About the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2020 event, participants raised over $2.96 million for 163 community charities through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge. In 2021, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon will host a 10K along Toronto’s scenic lakeshore, the first in-person race for Canada Running Series since the pandemic began, which will also double as the Athletics Canada 10K Championships in partnership with Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.

Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process. For more information, visit: www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.

About Athletics Canada

Athletics Canada is the national sport governing body for track and field, para athletics, cross-country running, and road running. Its purpose is to support high performance athletics excellence at the world level, and to provide leadership in developmental athletics. Athletics Canada is a not for profit, charitable organization operating under a board of directors elected by provincial / territorial members. For more information, visit: athletics.ca.

About the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada’s largest running and walking festival with six races, including the Ottawa Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 2K and Kids Marathon, as well as the Lumberjack, Voyageur or Bytown distance challenges. In 2021, runners and walkers in the virtual event raised a record-breaking $1,064,163.58 for local and national charities through the Charity Challenge. The 2022 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend will take place May 28-29.

The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend was named Event of the Year at the 2019 Canadian Tourism Awards, and in 2020, its title sponsor Tamarack Homes won the Sport Tourism Canada’s Canadian Sport Event Sponsorship Initiative of the Year Award. The event is one of only two running events in Canada to host a World Athletics (formerly IAAF) Gold Label Marathon, and is host to Athletics Canada’s Canadian 10K Championships. For more information or to register, visit: www.runottawa.ca.

Media Contact:

Sam O’Neill
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
sam@canadarunningseries.com

Flanagan and Sexton Crowned Canadian 10K Champions

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By Paul Gains

With an abundance of Covid pandemic caution, the 2021 Athletics Canada 10K Championships signalled a return to in-person racing this morning on Toronto’s Lake Shore Boulevard. When it was over, Ben Flanagan and Leslie Sexton were crowned national champions.

Flanagan, who narrowly missed a Tokyo 2020 Olympic berth, returned from his training base in Charlottesville, Virginia, to capture the gold and the accompanying $5,500 first place prize money but he had to battle hard for the victory.

His 28:42 on the out-and-back course represented a splendid debut at the distance but he was chased to the finish by Vancouver’s Luc Bruchet, a two-time Canadian Olympian at 5,000m. Flanagan and Bruchet fought tooth and nail over the final kilometre, and the latter was forced to settle for second place in a personal best of 28:49. He earned $3,000 for second.

“It feels great,” said Flanagan, who visited family in Kitchener, Ontario earlier in the week. “I am a happy guy. I knew coming in it was going to be a pretty good race and with ten or twelve guys at 6km, it was a race all the way to the line. I kind of had a hunch it was going to be me, Luc, Ben and [Justin] Kent in the last few kilometres, and that is how it worked out. I just gave everything I had over the last 2km to bring it home.

“The plan is only to get better from here. If this is the starting point and we build off of this, this could be a good year. I am really happy to be starting here. I have to make sure I stay healthy and as long as I do, we should be set up for a good summer.”

The bronze medal and $1,500 prize money went to Ben Preisner, who represented Canada at the Tokyo Olympics in the marathon. He finished in 28:53. The native of Milton, Ontario recently moved to Vancouver to join Bruchet with the BC Endurance Project under the guidance of coach Richard Lee. His time represented a personal best by more than a minute. The field benefited from cool 10C temperatures and a flat course.

The women’s division was no less interesting as Sarah Inglis, a Sottish international and permanent resident of British Columbia, forced the pace from the start. The women’s elite race started fifteen minutes ahead of the elite men’s, so she found herself pushing hard into a head wind over the first half of the race before the course turned 180 degrees for the return leg.

Over the final three kilometres, it was the Scot with only Leslie Sexton, another recently arrived Vancouver resident, for company. Cleo Boyd and Natasha Wodak were the nearest pursuers. Inglis and Sexton pushed each other hard and were rewarded with PBs of 31:59 (Inglis) and 32:04 (Sexton). As she crossed the line, Sexton pumped her fist hard realising she was Canadian champion.

“It was a happy fist bump. I was hurting pretty bad but I couldn’t be any happier,” said Sexton, the 2017 Canadian Marathon Champion. “I made a little move on the hill around 7km and tried to catch Sarah, but it turns out she had more to give and she surged again.

“No regrets. She is just super fit. It felt like it was Sarah’s race and there happened to be a Canadian Championship behind her, to be honest, but chasing her pulled me to a fast time.”

The $5,500 first place prize money will come in handy for Sexton who pointed out, “Living in Vancouver is expensive, man!”

The effervescent Inglis was delighted with her performance today and had been favoured by her competitors earlier in the week. Clearly, she is in the shape of her life and being ineligible for the prize money and medals didn’t reduce her enjoyment of the day at all.

“It was great,” she said through a face mask. “I kind of planned to go hard. I knew I was in PB shape and even with the wind I was like, ‘I am going to go out hard and if they come with me great.’ Leslie and I had a great battle. It helped me get to a faster time.

“I led the whole way but then she drew up next to me and that gave me a kick in the bum to get back towards the finish. I never looked behind me, but people were saying, ‘C’mon girls’ plural. That means she is close by. Honestly, I didn’t know until the last 100m I was clear.”

The silver medal went to Cleo Boyd (33:21) with Wodak taking the bronze.

The race was limited to 5,000 entrants due to Covid restrictions and runners had to wear a mask until they crossed the start line. First to go out and return was Paralympian star, Josh Cassidy, who soloed in the wheelchair race to a time for 21:50.

“I used to live near Lake Shore Boulevard near High Park and never raced any STWM weekend events, so this was really fun to do,” Cassidy declared. “They just made this [wheelchair] event a couple of weeks ago, so it worked out with my schedule. It was a demonstration. Hopefully it is something to build on for the future with prize money and a bigger field. It’s funny, whenever I am driving roads, I am always eyeing them up for training. And on Lake Shore, you can never do that unless it’s shut. It was fun to get out there, a fun course.”

A more personal competition played out near the back of the field as Olympic 50K race walker, Evan Dunfee, fought his brother Adam for family bragging rights. Dunfee, who is planning to race next year’s World Team Race Walking Championships, Commonwealth Games (10km on the track) and World Championships (35km). Dunfee finished in 41:38.

“He was running while I was walking,” Dunfee revealed. “We thought would be evenly matched. He has been running regularly to get in shape, but I don’t think he has put on a race bib in 20 years. He kicked my butt today. It was really awesome. I am really happy with what I did today. Dealing with a bit of [a] hamstring [injury] and to walk 41 and a half coming off Tokyo with a torn hamstring I will take that.”

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About the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2020 event, participants raised over $2.96 million for 163 community charities through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge. In 2021, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon will host a 10K along Toronto’s scenic lakeshore, the first in-person race for Canada Running Series since the pandemic began, which will also double as the Athletics Canada 10K Championships in partnership with Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.

Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process. For more information, visit: www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.

About Athletics Canada

Athletics Canada is the national sport governing body for track and field, para athletics, cross-country running, and road running. Its purpose is to support high performance athletics excellence at the world level, and to provide leadership in developmental athletics. Athletics Canada is a not for profit, charitable organization operating under a board of directors elected by provincial / territorial members. For more information, visit: athletics.ca.

About the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada’s largest running and walking festival with six races, including the Ottawa Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 2K and Kids Marathon, as well as the Lumberjack, Voyageur or Bytown distance challenges. In 2021, runners and walkers in the virtual event raised a record-breaking $1,064,163.58 for local and national charities through the Charity Challenge. The 2022 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend will take place May 28-29.

The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend was named Event of the Year at the 2019 Canadian Tourism Awards, and in 2020, its title sponsor Tamarack Homes won the Sport Tourism Canada’s Canadian Sport Event Sponsorship Initiative of the Year Award. The event is one of only two running events in Canada to host a World Athletics (formerly IAAF) Gold Label Marathon, and is host to Athletics Canada’s Canadian 10K Championships. For more information or to register, visit runottawa.ca.

 Media Contact:

Sam O’Neill

Marketing and Communications Coordinator

sam@canadarunningseries.com