Cam Levins breaks Canadian record at 2018 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Bahrain's Mimi Balete shaved 14 seconds off the course record, with a 2:22:29 finish

Anne Francis October 21, 2018

Canada’s Cam Levins had the marathon debut of his life today at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, crossing the finish line in 2:09:25 and breaking Jerome Drayton’s Canadian national record of 2:10:09 in the process. That record comes with a $43,000 payday–$1,000 for every year the record has stood. Levins finished fourth overall.

Levins’s splits were as follows:
5K: 15:35 (3:07/km)
10K: 30:45 (15:10 – 3:02/km)
15K: 45:56 (15:11 – 3:02/km)
20K: 1:01:11 (15:15 -3:03/km)
Half marathon: 1:04:34
25K: 1:16:43 (3:06/km)
30K: 1:32:21 (15:38 – 3:08/km)
35K: 1:47:21 (15:00 – 3:00/km)
40K: 2:02:35 (15:14 – 3:03/km)
Finish: 2:09:25

Levins looked comfortable throughout the race. With the live broadcast cutting between shots, race commentator Geoff Wightman referred to the “Cam cam,” and ribbed fellow commentator and Canadian women’s marathon record-holder Lanni Marchant for wishing Levins’ singlet was tucked in, rather than flapping in the fairly strong winds on the course.

Cam Levins after winning Canadian Marathon Championships. Photo: Canadian Running

Reid Coolsaet had a difficult day on the course, finishing second with a time of 2:17:37 for 10th place overall. Coolsaet indicated he’d had a problematic build to this race, falling sick a couple of times and missing some key workouts. Aaron Cooper of Camlachie, Ont. (near Sarnia) was the third Canadian across the line, in 2:18:00, for 11th place.

Kinsey Middleton had a similarly exciting result today, taking the title of Canadian national champion in her marathon debut. Middleton’s time was 2:32:09, for a seventh-place finish overall. Defending Canadian champion Leslie Sexton was the second Canadian woman to finish, in 2:36:03 (ninth place overall), and 3rd-place Boston Marathon finisher Krista DuChene was third, in 2:36:46, for 10th place overall.

Canada’s Krista DuChene and Jess Trengove of Australia during the warmup. Photo: Canadian Running

Kenya’s Benson Kipruto, 27, was the overall winner, with Mimi Belete of Bahrain winning the women’s marathon and breaking the course record of 2:22:43.

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