Lanni Marchant a no show at World Championships
The Canadian marathon record holder was set to run the 10,000m, but Athletics Canada was forced to scratch her from the team. It's unclear why she is not competing in London
When Athletics Canada assembled the IAAF World Championship team in front of London’s Tower Bridge for an Instagram moment, one face was absent from the group: Lanni Marchant.
The 33 year old was set to run the 10,000m final on Saturday, after qualifying for the event last year while representing Canada at the Olympics. She is also the Canadian record holder in the marathon, and doubled in Rio, but had opted not to run the marathon in London. Along with Krista DuChene, Marchant famously (and unsuccessfully) lobbied Athletics Canada in 2012 to be added to the Olympic team for the marathon. The following year she set the Canadian record (2:28:00), beginning an extraordinary streak that will surely cement her legacy as one of the greatest Canadian distance runners of all-time. But her no show at the World Championships is a bizarre turn for the lawyer turned pro athlete.
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After running poorly at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in the 5,000m (she finished in 13th), which was meant to be a tuneup race for Marchant, she had indicated to Athletics Canada that she was still planning to run the 10,000m at the World Championships and was named to the team on July 18.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXTepDjgnwU/?taken-by=athleticscanada
“She discussed performing a workout on July 29 to determine her fitness, and ensure she was ready to compete,” Athletics Canada released in a statement. “The Athletics Canada Head Coach as well as Female Athlete Rep were part of this communication with Lanni.”
It was revealed shortly after Marchant signed a sponsorship deal with Under Armour that she had suffered from kidney stone problems recently. It’s unclear why she is not in London competing.
“Since July 28, there has been no communication from Lanni with the Head Coach, Athlete Rep, or anyone else from Athletics Canada,” the statement continues. “The deadline to confirm entries for the women’s 10,000-metres final was this morning at 9:00 a.m. [Friday] London time.”
Marchant has not responded to an email request for comment.
She has also been silent on social media about her situation. She did retweet this on Aug. 4:
As far as I know, none of us live forever. Be ready, be early and stay late, and make every single day count.
— Eric Alper (@ThatEricAlper) August 5, 2017
Canada has two athletes entered into the women’s 10,000m: Canadian record holder Natasha Wodak and Rachel Cliff. Marchant is not on the start list. No other Canadian athletes had qualified for the event, so Marchant is not taking a spot that could have otherwise been filled. Each country is allowed three entries into each distance running event.
This is yet another blow to an already decimated Canadian squad. Just days before the start of the competition, medal favourite Andre De Grasse and marathoner Rachel Hannah pulled out of the competition, both due to injury.
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