Ben Flanagan and Julie-Anne Staehli win Canadian 5K Championships

On Sunday morning at the Medavie Canadian 5K Championships in Moncton, N.B., Ben Flanagan continued his winning ways on the roads, defending his 2018 title in a Canadian soil record time of 13:38, while Julie-Anne Staehli won her first Canadian women’s road championship in a swift time of 15:55.

Julie-Anne Staehli has won her first ?? road championship after finishing third in this race in 2018.

An epic comeback for the 28-year-old, who spent most of the 2022 season sidelined with an injury. #AC5KChamps

— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) September 11, 2022

Flanagan and Staehli, who both grew up in Ontario but now train in the U.S., came into the race with a chip on their shoulders. Flanagan looked to set the Canadian record, and Staehli was eager to return to her top form after missing most of the year due to injury. Flanagan merely missed the Canadian 5K record of 13:35 by three seconds, set by Charles Philibert-Thiboutot in Boston last April.

The women’s race

Staehli took the pace out quickly in the first kilometre of the race, which established a pack of four runners at the front. The lead began to switch between Staehli, Regan Yee, Erin Teschuk and Cleo Boyd until the 3 km mark when Teschuk and Staehli surged, dropping Yee and Boyd. Teschuk and Staehli battled over the final two kilometres, but Staehli, the 5,000m Olympian, had the final kick to cross the line in 15:55.

Teschuk finished second in a personal best time of 16:06, while Boyd came across the finish line for third in 16:12.

Women's @Moncton5K results:

1) Julie-Anne Staehli 15:55
2) Erin Teschuk 16:06
3) Cleo Boyd 16:12#AC5KChamps

— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) September 11, 2022

Toronto’s Sasha Gollish broke the Canadian Masters 40+ 5K record by nine seconds with her fifth-place finish here in Moncton (16:45). Gollish has now finished inside the top five at every Canadian championship she’s raced this season.

The men’s race

Although Flanagan was the clear favourite heading in, Toronto’s Andrew Alexander and Vancouver’s John Gay both made the race interesting for him in the early stages. Alexander took the race out in 2:44/km through the first kilometre, which is right on Canadian record pace, and hung around at the front until the 3 km mark. Flanagan noticed Alexander slowing down after 3 km and made a strategic surge to catch Gay off-guard. Gay tried to stick with the Canadian 10K record holder until 4 km, but ultimately fell 100 metres back of Flanagan down the final stretch.

Men's @Moncton5K results:

1) Ben Flanagan 13:38
2) John Gay 13:58
3) Andrew Alexander 14:06#AC5KChamps

— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) September 11, 2022

Flanagan was ever so close to the Canadian 5K record with his time of 13:38, but he broke his own Canadian soil record of 13:56 (which he set at this event in 2018).

Gay finished second, dipping under 14 minutes in 13:58, while Alexander reached his first Canadian senior podium for third in 14:06.

Both Flanagan and Staehli alluded to the great conditions, course and crowd in their post-race interviews. Almost 1,000 people were on course to watch the race along Moncton’s Assomption Blvd.

Here are the full results from the 2022 Canadian 5K Championships.