Begin spreading the information, I’m leavin’ immediately. I need to be part of it–New York, New York!
We’re simply days away from the world’s largest marathon main: the 2024 TCS New York Metropolis Marathon. Final 12 months, greater than 1,000 Canadian runners made the journey to the Massive Apple, and this 12 months, the race has already set file numbers. One Canadian athlete to look at is Olympic marathoner Rory Linkletter, who will make his NYC Marathon debut, 11 weeks after competing in Paris.
Linkletter lately shared with Canadian Operating that he’s feeling very motivated after his Olympic debut, which he described as “a mixture of pleasure and disappointment.” The 28-year-old felt he did all the pieces attainable to organize for the difficult Olympic marathon course, solely to complete forty seventh, in 2:13:09. Canada’s second-fastest marathoner got here into Paris recent off his career-best efficiency at February’s Seville Marathon, the place he clocked a 2:08:01, qualifying for the Olympics by 9 seconds.
This NYC Marathon construct has been totally different for Linkletter as he adapts to new coach Jon Inexperienced, who additionally coaches U.S. 2020 Olympic bronze medallist Molly Seidel. New York is famously often called the hardest Abbott World Main, with a course winding by way of 5 boroughs and ending with the hills of Central Park. Linkletter shared that, relatively than attempting to grasp the course, he’s targeted on getting as match as attainable for race day, Nov. 3.
May we see an American victory?
Linkletter’s former collegiate teammates from Brigham Younger College, Conner Mantz and Clayton Younger, are two People to look at on Sunday. The duo prepare collectively beneath coach Ed Eyestone in Utah, and Mantz is coming off a near-personal-best on the Paris Olympics, the place he completed eighth. The Paris and NYC programs are comparable, in that many of the course’s elevation acquire happens within the latter half. Younger, who completed ninth behind Mantz in Paris, has run beneath 2:09:30 in his final three marathons, making him one other contender. The American duo stated they’re in the most effective form of their careers–which they should be to deal with the sturdy East African males’s area.
The return of the king
Reigning NYC champion Tamirat Tola proved himself to be the world’s finest marathoner three months in the past in Paris, the place he claimed gold in an Olympic file time of two:06:26 on a difficult course. Tola has gained two of his final three marathons and set the NYC course file of two:04:58 final 12 months. At Friday’s press convention, Tola stated he was happy along with his course file, however felt he may have gone even sooner. His victory in Paris mirrored his NYC win final 12 months, as he broke away from the sector midway by way of and by no means appeared again.
This 12 months’s area is even stronger, with the return of 2022 champion Evans Chebet of Kenya, Olympic silver medallist Bashir Abdi of Belgium, 2021 NYC champion Albert Korir and 2019 champion Geoffrey Kamworor. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see if Tola can turn into the primary Ethiopian to win back-to-back NYC Marathon titles.
Prediction: Tamirat Tola (2:05:45)
Will the ladies’s course file be damaged?
Hellen Obiri returns after her historic dash victory final 12 months in Central Park. In 2023, Obiri outpaced Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey, Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei and Sharon Lokedi within the remaining kilometre, capturing her first NYC title and turning into the primary lady in three a long time to win each Boston and NYC in the identical 12 months. Obiri efficiently defended her Boston title earlier this 12 months; can she pull off one other double in NYC? The course fits Obiri’s working model, and if it comes right down to a detailed end, she might be exhausting to beat, given her observe velocity.
2022 champion Lokedi additionally returns for her third NYC Marathon, aiming for a second main title after her third-place end final 12 months and a near-podium end on the Paris Olympics. Ethiopia’s prime contender, Senbere Teferi, has proven distinctive promise within the half-marathon, however has but to translate her 64-minute half-marathon velocity into a powerful marathon outcome. With a private finest of two:19:21 from Berlin 2023, she’ll be seeking to make a breakthrough.
Lastly, all eyes might be on the return of three-time Olympic gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba, who is ready to race her first marathon in six years—and her NYC debut. May the 39-year-old Ethiopian legend make a memorable comeback?
The time to look at on Sunday might be Margaret Okayo’s course file of two:22:31, which has stood for 21 years.
There are not any Canadian ladies within the 2024 NYC Marathon elite area.
Prediction: Hellen Obiri (2:23:34)
The best way to watch
The 2024 TCS New York Metropolis Marathon might be aired in Canada on TSN5, with protection starting at 8:00 a.m. ET Sunday. You can too stream the occasion stay on-line through the TSN app or through TSN.ca/stay.
All of the motion for the 2024 TCS New York Metropolis Marathon might be delivered to you by Canadian Operating and New Stability. Observe us on Twitter on Instagram for in-depth protection, live-tweeting and up-to-date unique information and content material.