With Canadian stars Rory Linkletter and Natasha Wodak headlining the 2026 Tamarack Homes Ottawa International Marathon elite field, we knew we were in for an exciting race on May 24. But on Wednesday, the event released its official elite start list, featuring a strong Ethiopian contingent that will challenge the Canadians for the race title and the accompanying $24,000 prize.
Five additional top Canadian elites have been named, including Canadian Running‘s own debutant John Gay, joining Linkletter and Wodak on the start line.
Rory Linkletter finishing 130 Boston Marathon. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Linkletter to bounce back after Boston
For the second straight year, Linkletter will race in Ottawa just five weeks after competing at the Boston Marathon. This year, he’s fresh off another personal best of 2:06:04 and a 14th-place finish. Now, he looks to better last year’s runner-up result.
Kenya’s Albert Korir was last year’s winner; he was later suspended for a positive doping test.
Ethiopia enters with a six-strong contingent of athletes; only two own faster marks than Linkletter: Shura Kitata and Asrar Hiyrden, both with PBs of 2:03:59. Kitata is a five-time world major medallist, including a win at the 2020 London Marathon. He also took second at the 2018 London and New York City Marathons, second at NYC 2022 and third in 2023. He set his PB en route to the win at February’s Seville Marathon, finishing neck-and-neck with Hiyrden, who won the event in 2022.
Thomas Broatch wins the Canadian Marathon Championships at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2023. Photo: Todd Fraser/CRS
Vancouver’s Thomas Broatch will also toe the line; he ran his 2:10:35 personal best for eighth at the 2025 Houston Marathon. His career highlights also include a win at the 2023 Canadian Marathon Championships (part of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon; he placed sixth overall among international competitors), in 2:16:25. More recently, in fall 2025, he won the Vancouver Under Armour Eastside 10K.
River Glade, N.B.’s Lee Wesselius enters with a 2:13:52 personal best from his runner-up finish at the 2024 Canadian Marathon Championships (ninth place among international Toronto Waterfront Marathon competitors). Wesselius was also the top Canadian at the 2023 Ottawa race and the 2024 Copenhagen Marathon.
Gay to make his debut
The Shakeout Podcast host and Canadian Olympic steeplechaser Gay will be making his marathon debut. “Taking a proper crack at the marathon distance has always been something I wanted to do during my ‘prime,’” Gay said. “With my eyes on making it back to another Olympic Games, I believe the sooner I can begin learning the ropes of the distance, the better my chances of putting together a qualifying run for LA.”
Gay represented Canada at Tokyo 2020 and several world championships. So far in 2026, Gay has put down strong efforts, taking second to Broatch at the Vancouver St. Patrick’s Day 5K and again at the Vancouver Sun Run.
“Marathoning in Canada and globally is at an unprecedented high right now, something that makes pursuing one of just three Olympic spots both incredibly daunting–but also very exciting,” Gay said. “The competitor in me is fired up by the notion that the privilege of representing Canada at the Olympics will be hard-fought.”
Men’s elite field
Shura Kitata (ETH) — 2:03:59
Asrar Hiyrden (ETH) — 2:03:59
Rory Linkletter (CAN) — 2:06:04
Gebretsadik Abraha (ETH) — 2:06:16
Mulugeta Debasu (ETH) — 2:06:36
Gizealew Ayana (ETH) — 2:06:48
Afewerk Mesfin (ETH) — 2:07:08
Daniel Mesfun (USA) — 2:08:24
Luke Kibet Cheruiyot (KEN) — 2:08:45
Elvis Cheboi (KEN) — 2:09:20
Kipsambu Kimakal (KEN) — 2:09:41
Ben Rosa (USA) — 2:09:47
Elkanah Kibet (USA) — 2:10:02
Thomas Broatch (CAN) — 2:10:35
Lee Wesselius (CAN) — 2:13:52
John Gay (CAN) — Debut
Natasha Wodak in the women’s marathon at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Wodak up against a fast Ethiopian field
Despite having raced the Ottawa 10K countless times, this will mark Wodak’s Ottawa Marathon debut. It will be her first marathon since taking 31st at September’s 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. So far in 2026, she’s raced several times, including two half-marathons (1:11:51 for the win at Vancouver’s First Half, and 1:10:56 in Berlin) and two 10Ks in Vancouver.
Wodak will be up against 11 Ethiopian athletes, three of whom boast sub-2:20 bests: Meseret Belete, Rahma Tusa and Yebrgual Melese. Belete, who holds the fastest time in the field, 2:18:21, from her win at the 2023 Amsterdam Marathon, is also the world U20 half-marathon record holder, with a 1:07:51 best. Tusa won the 2024 Houston Marathon in her best of 2:19:33. Melese placed second at the 2015 Chicago Marathon and ran her 2:18:21 best in 2018 before taking a hiatus from competing from 2020 to 2024. Her more recent performances include an eighth-place result from the 2024 Berlin Marathon (2:21:39).
Rising Canadian stars
The 2023 Canadian half-marathon champion, Élissa Legault, has also been on a recent tear. She ran her sub-2:30 personal best of 2:29:05 at December’s Valencia Marathon (the ninth-fastest in Canadian history), and her half-marathon best of 1:11:25 (Canadian No. 8) at the Project 13.1 event in March. Former Université Laval athlete Jade Bérubé, who has moved up to road events over the past two years, will be making her marathon debut.
Women’s field
Meseret Belete (Ethiopia) — 2:18:21
Rahma Tusa (Ethiopia) — 2:19:33
Yebrgual Melese (Ethiopia) — 2:19:36
Meskerem Assefa (Ethiopia) — 2:20:36
Kidsan Alema (Ethiopia) — 2:22:28
Tahir Kuftu (Ethiopia) — 2:22:53
Meseret Gebre (Ethiopia) — 2:23:11
Natasha Wodak (Canada) — 2:23:12
Birke Debele (Ethiopia) — 2:23:19
Elfinesh Demise (Ethiopia) — 2:23:30
Abebech Afework (Ethiopia) — 2:23:33
Betty Chepkorir (Kenya) — 2:23:45
Anna Dibaba (Ethiopia) — 2:23:56
Élissa Legault (Canada) — 2:29:05
Abeba Aregawi (Sweden) — Debut
Jade Bérubé (Canada) — Debut
Prizes
Prize money will be awarded to the top eight finishers in both the men’s and women’s races, with each winner taking home $24,000. Canadian athletes will also be eligible for a separate bonus pool, with $5,000 awarded to the top Canadian finisher.
Additional incentives are on the line for record-breaking performances: a $10,000 bonus will be awarded to any athlete who eclipses the course record or any Canadian who breaks the national mark.
The men’s course record of 2:06:04 was set by Andualem Belay Shiferaw in 2022, while the women’s mark stands at 2:22:17, set by Gelete Burka in 2018. Cam Levins (2:05:36, 2023) and Wodak (2:23:12, 2022) are the current Canadian record holders.