Begin spreading the information, I’m leavin’ at present. I need to be part of it, New York, N.Y.
We’re simply days away from the world’s greatest marathon main: the 2024 TCS New York Metropolis Marathon. Final 12 months, over 1,000 Canadian runners made the journey to the Massive Apple, and this 12 months, the race has already set document numbers. One Canadian athlete to look at this weekend is Olympic marathoner Rory Linkletter, who will make his NYC Marathon debut, 11 weeks after competing in Paris.
Linkletter just lately shared with Canadian Working that he’s very motivated after his Olympic debut, which he described as “a mixture of pleasure and disappointment.” The 28-year-old felt he did the whole lot potential 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 contemporary 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 completely 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 referred to as the hardest Abbott World Main, with a course winding by means of 5 boroughs and ending with the hills of Central Park. Linkletter shared that fairly than attempting to grasp the course, he’s centered on getting as match as potential for race day, Nov. 3.
Might we see an American victory?
Linkletter’s former collegiate teammates from Brigham Younger College, Conner Mantz and Clayton Younger, are two Individuals to look at on Sunday. The duo practice collectively underneath coach Ed Eyestone in Utah, and Mantz is coming off a close to private finest on the Paris Olympics, the place he completed eighth. The Paris and NYC programs are comparable, as most elevation achieve happens within the latter half of the race. Younger, who completed ninth behind Mantz in Paris, has run underneath 2:09:30 in his final three marathons, making him one other contender. The American duo mentioned they’re in the very best form of their careers, which they must be to take care of the sturdy East African males’s discipline.
The return of the king
Reigning NYC champion Tamirat Tola proved himself because the world’s finest marathoner three months in the past in Paris, the place he claimed gold in an Olympic document time of two:06:26 on a difficult course. Tola has received two of his final three marathons and set the NYC course document of two:04:58 final 12 months. At Friday’s press convention, Tola mentioned he was happy along with his course document 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 sphere midway by means of and by no means appeared again.
This 12 months’s discipline is even stronger, with the return of 2022 champion Evans Chebet of Kenya, Olympic silver medalist 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 document 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 last kilometre, capturing her first NYC title and changing into the primary lady in three a long time to win each Boston and NYC in the identical 12 months. Obiri defended her Boston title earlier this 12 months—may she pull off one other double in NYC? The course fits Obiri’s operating model and if it comes right down to a detailed end, she shall be exhausting to beat given her monitor pace.
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 pace into the marathon. With a private finest of two:19:21 from Berlin 2023, she’ll be trying to make a breakthrough.
Lastly, eyes shall be on the return of three-time Olympic gold medalist Tirunesh Dibaba, who is ready to race her first marathon in six years—and her NYC debut. Might the 39-year-old Ethiopian legend make a memorable comeback?
The time to look at on Sunday shall be Margaret Okayo’s course document of two:22:31 which has stood for 21 years. There aren’t any Canadian ladies within the 2024 NYC Marathon elite discipline.
Prediction: Hellen Obiri (2:23:34)
Tips on how to watch
The 2024 TCS New York Metropolis Marathon shall be aired in Canada on TSN5, with protection starting at 8:00 a.m. ET Sunday. You can even stream the occasion reside on-line by way of the TSN app or by way of TSN.ca/reside.
All of the motion for the 2024 TCS New York Metropolis Marathon shall be delivered to you by Canadian Working and New Steadiness. Comply with us on Twitter on Instagram for in-depth protection, live-tweeting and up-to-date unique information and content material.