Three Canadians added to 2018 Boston Marathon pro field
Three of Canada's top marathoners added to the lineup for the Boston Marathon, slated for April 16
The second-fastest marathoners in Canadian history and the 2016 Olympic 10th-place finisher have been added to the 2018 Boston Marathon professional field.
Reid Coolsaet and Krista DuChene, 2:10:28 and 2:28:32 marathoners, along with Eric Gillis will contest the world’s most famous road race on April 16. The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announcement was made on Thursday.
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The Canadian trio, none of who were selected for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, will be making their Boston Marathon debuts, or be racing Boston for the second time, in what will be the 122nd running of the Abbott World Marathon Major. Coolsaet says Boston “has been on my ‘must-race’ list for years.”
Our Elite Athlete Team will join 30,000 strong on #Patriots Day for the 122nd running of the world's most historic marathon #BostonMarathon #TogetherForward pic.twitter.com/puLkK9sSTz
— Boston Marathon Pro (@BostonMar_Pro) January 11, 2018
Not surprisingly, the B.A.A. once again assembles a stellar professional field including top Americans as well as international talent. The professionals will be among the some 30,000 runners who qualified for the prestigious race. Boston is a point-to-point course that begins in Hopkinton, Mass. and ends on Boylston Street.
Gillis is the lone returning Canadian name on the elite start list though the 2:11:21 performer was forced to withdraw from the 2017 race due to injury. The three Canadians in the elite field, all of who will be 38 or older come race day, represented Canada in the marathon at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Thursday’s announcement of the international professional field comes after December news broke that Galen Rupp, Shalane Flanagan, Deena Kastor, Desi Linden, and Jordan Hasay, among other domestic runners, would be racing Boston. Of note, Canadian all-comers record holder Philemon Rono, who ran 2:06:52 at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, was too added to the men’s field on Thursday.
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Both of the 2017 Boston Marathon champions, Geoffrey Kirui and Edna Kiplagat, are set to defend their titles on Patriots’ Day.
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