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BROOK JONES \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n
Winnipegger Janine Zajac is the women\u2019s back-to-back Manitoba Marathon champ, beating her winning time last year by six minutes on Sunday.<\/p>\n
And Tuse had skin in the game, having placed second in last year\u2019s marathon.<\/p>\n
There was a bit of a scary moment after crossing the finish line when Tuse had to be wheeled off for medical attention. But the champion was able to show up at the award ceremony to accept his flowers and first place trophy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love Winnipeg, I\u2019ll come back again. It was a good day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Tuse had also placed first three weeks prior in the Calgary Marathon with a time of 2:22:18. An Ethiopian refugee, Tuse is busy trying to make the Los Angeles 2028 Refugee Olympic team. After taking second last year in the Manitoba Marathon, it was clear he came back to beat his personal best.<\/p>\n
On the women\u2019s side, Winnipeg\u2019s own Janine Zajac is officially the back-to-back champion.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old crossed the finish line at 2:52:49 with tears of joy. Zajac beat her own time from last year\u2019s win \u2014 which was already a triumph as she had smashed her own personal best during the 47th running \u2014 crossing the finish line six minutes faster for a new personal best in her home province\u2019s race.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m speechless. I really wanted to just run my own race. Winning is the cherry on top,\u201d Zajac said. She was head-to-head with second and third place winners, Jessica Wylychenko and Jaclyn Loewen for the first 20 kilometres, but felt a second wind kick in around the 37-kilometre mark.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love to run,\u201d Zajac commented. \u201cI ran Boston in April, it wasn\u2019t what I wanted so to be able to come out and do this, it makes it all worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marathon racing is in Zajac\u2019s blood. Having been a participant in the marathon from a young age, Zajac had spent her childhood cheering on her dad and participating in the Super Run at the age of five with her parents. She then graduated to the relay at age 10. She placed 15th in her first Manitoba Marathon back in 2023 and sixth in 2024.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n Calgary-based long distance runner Nageso Nyafaro Tuse won the men\u2019s Manitoba Marathon Sunday after coming in second last year.<\/p>\n And now, reigning as the 2025 and 2026 champion, the day proved to be monumental for the distance runner.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Manitoba Marathon has a special place in my heart,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Whether or not Zajac will three-peat is a thrilling storyline to follow in next year\u2019s race.<\/p>\n Of course, the full marathon isn\u2019t the only race on the third Sunday in June. Racers start around 7 a.m. with different programs including the five kilometre, 10 kilometre, half marathon and relay on top of the main full race \u2014 and the half marathon had another current Manitoba star in the making.<\/p>\n The men\u2019s half marathon winner was former Manitoba Bison Simon Berub\u00e9, who already made a name for himself back in November by taking the men\u2019s Indianapolis Marathon in a time of sub 2:20:00 \u2014 the third-best time by a runner from Manitoba. In the half on Sunday, the 28-year-old posted a time of 1:05:37.<\/p>\n On the women\u2019s side of the half, Sasha Gollish finished with a time of 1:17:52. And in the relay category, the first place mixed team from Niverville \u2014 the Pink Panthers \u2014 lived up to their ferocious name, finishing at 3:09:21.<\/p>\n The marathon was also a family affair for many, including the Boulet\u2019s. Gerald (50) and his sons Colin (12), Vincent, (17), Dominic (22), Robert (24) from Ile-des-Ch\u00eanes all met back at the finish line to celebrate their respective races. Gerald and Colin ran together in the 10-kilometre race while the other three competed in the half.<\/p>\n \u201cFeels great,\u201d Gerald remarked. \u201cI ran with [Colin], I can\u2019t run with these guys anymore,\u201d he chuckled, while pointing to his three oldest.<\/p>\n And smiles abounded as each runner came across the finish line, whether it was their first race or just another one for personal bragging rights.<\/p>\n
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