Top Canadians to battle for Ottawa’s Fastest Women 5K title
During its first year as an official Athletics Canada road race, the Run to Empower event will offer its most lucrative prize purse yet
Photo by:
Kevin Morris
On Thursday, Run Ottawa revealed three elite distance runners set to headline Ottawa’s Fastest Women 5K on May 3–Olympian Erin Teschuk, Toronto Waterfront half-marathon champion Eliyah Brawdy and Canada’s newest road racing star, Sadie-Jane Hickson. The race, previously known as Emilie’s Run, is part of Run to Empower, which aims to celebrate and advance women’s running. Last month, the event announced a $5,000 increase to its prize purse during its first year as an official Athletics Canada road race.
The race was formerly named after the late Canadian 5K record holder Emilie Mondor, who died tragically in 2006. Her mark of 15:16 has stood since 2004.
Erin Teschuk
Teschuk, a Winnipeg native who now lives in Ottawa, represented Canada at the 2016 Olympics and 2015 and 2023 World Championships. She boasts a 5K personal best of 15:29 and medalled at the last two Canadian 5K Championships.
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“Opportunities such as these are so important to show the next generation of female athletes that there are opportunities for them to push their limits at the elite level,” she said. “I hope to use this opportunity to showcase my training and fitness, all while further promoting women’s sport.”
Eliyah Brawdy
During Brawdy’s breakout season in 2024, she won the Canadian 10,000m Championships in 33:37.52 and earned a near seven-minute half-marathon personal best in Toronto in the fall, clocking 1:13:34. Two months ago, the Smithers, B.C., native finished ninth at the Houston Marathon.
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“I am personally inspired by all of the incredible women that are a part of the Canadian distance running community as both athletes and women,” she said. “I hope this race can showcase some of that depth and talent while also serving as an inspiration for young girls to pursue big goals as both athletes and individuals.”
Sadie-Jane Hickson
Hickson, a former Guelph Gryphon and U Sports standout, is Canada’s newest threat on the road racing scene. She made her 5K debut at the Hamilton Marathon event in the fall, placing fourth in 15:59–just a few weeks after clocking 34:33 at the Fenelon Falls Turkey Trot. But the Oakwood, Ont., native has speed, too, clocking the seventh-fastest indoor 1,000m of 2:39.16 last month.
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“I’m thrilled to be in a race that provides a platform for women to showcase their abilities at a high-performance level and will build on the momentum that is driving more and more people to watch and support women’s sports,” she says. “I look forward to racing alongside strong competitors, challenging myself and contributing to an environment that encourages both female excellence and connection.”
Additional racers are expected be added to the elite field in the coming weeks.
Prizes
The top seven runners overall will take home cash prizes, with first, second and third place earning $1,500, $1,200 and $900, respectively. The podium finishers for the 5K masters (40+) category will win $300, $200 and $100 prizes, respectively, while the winner of the U19 category will earn a Garmin smartwatch. Runners who break Rachel Hannah’s course record of 15:57.5 (set in 2014) will receive a bonus of $500, and runners successfully beating Mondor’s Canadian 5K record will take home a $2,000 bonus.
Open 5K will kick off with stroller wave
Run to Empower will also host an open category 5K and kids 1K (aged 12 and under). The open race will commence with a stroller wave, which allows parents to compete safely with their young children.
This year’s event will raise funds for Canadian charity Fast and Female, which works to empower young girls in sport and education; last year, $4,000 was donated to Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre. During registration, runners can opt for the “Green Bib” to donate a portion of their registration fee in lieu of a race medal.
Click here to register.
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