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Cool weather assisted runners in the Ottawa Marathon on Sunday, with Kenya’s Elvis Cheboi winning the men’s race in 2:09:22. For the women’s race, Sweden’s Abeba Aregawi completed the run in 2:23:12, a Swedish national record.
Canadian Rory Linkletter made the podium for a second year, coming third in the men’s race with a time of 02:09:43, just behind Gizealew Ayana from Ethiopia, who finished in 02:09:26.
Trailing behind were more than 16,800 runners, who filled the streets on a cool and rainy Sunday for 52nd edition of the event.
Mayor runs to end youth homelessness
Starting out before the official event, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe ran his own unofficial race, raising over $100,000 for the End Youth Homelessness in Ottawa by 2030 Fund.
Sutcliffe said he started his run in the dark as a metaphor for how people experiencing homelessness try to access services.
“They don’t have the same advantages and the same support as everybody else. They have to navigate the system on their own. And so that’s what we were doing this morning, and I wanted that symbolism for this event,” he said.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe holds a large cheque for $117,190 at the marathon finish line. (Patrick Foucault/Radio-Canada)
When asked why the cause is important to him, Sutcliffe brought up his two daughters.
“When I think about how there are other kids in our community the same age as them who don’t have the same opportunities, it’s not fair. Every child deserves to start life with the same opportunity on a level playing field,” he said.
After crossing the finish line, Sutcliffe presented a cheque for $117,190 to the Ottawa Community Foundation, which is administering the fund.
Kristian Jamieson runs a personal best
Among the racers chasing personal bests was the great-great-grandson of legendary Onondaga runner Tom Longboat.
Kristian Jamieson had hoped to beat his ancestor’s marathon time of 2:24:24, set when Longboat won the Boston marathon in 1907.
The 24-year-old, who is from the Upper Cayuga First Nation of the Six Nations of the Grand River near Hamilton, Ont., crossed the finish line on Sunday in 2:31:23, a personal best.
“I’m walking away with a big smile on my face today,” he said.
Runner Kristian Jamieson shortly after reaching the finish line Sunday. (Nathan Fung/CBC)
Jamieson still aims to beat his great-great-grandfather’s historic Boston time on Canadian soil and hopes to make his next attempt later this year.
“The goal is to do October marathon and to run a two hour, 24-minute marathon,” he said.
WATCH | Jamieson’s interview with Ottawa Morning prior to Sunday’s marathon:
Tom Longboat’s great-great-grandson chasing historic time this Ottawa Race Weekend
Tom Longboat became the first Indigenous person to win the Boston Marathon in 1907. His great-great-grandson Kristian Jamieson will try to match Longboat’s record-breaking time at this weekend’s Ottawa marathon. He spoke with CBC Ottawa Morning’s Rebecca Zandbergen ahead of the race.