Korir, Seboka win Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon; Marchant and Gillis top Canadians

No records fell on Sunday at the 25th running of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, though the race again provided an exciting finish in the elite men’s event.

Passing and pulling away from a strong field in the final kilometres, Laban Korir of Kenya won the men’s race in 2:08:13, bettering a strong field of world-class athletes. The elite men were under Canadian all-comers record pace through the halfway mark before slowing.

Eric Gillis was the top Canadian running a personal best 2:11:20, well under the 2:15 qualifying standard from next summer’s world championships. Gillis was on Canadian record pace until 35K, when fatigue set in, slowing him in the final 7K. Kip Kangogo was the second Canadian male, running 2:17:11 and finishing 10th overall. Kelly Wiebe dropped out shortly after the halfway mark during what was his debut marathon. His training partner Rob Watson also dropped out.

Canadian record-holder Lanni Marchant was looking to better her own mark, which she set in Toronto last fall, but also faded late in the race, running 2:31:06. Like Gillis, she was under pace until the 35K mark, but slowed in the final kilometres. Natasha LaBeaud was the second Canadian followed by Kimberley Doerksen.

The elite women’s race was won by Mulu Seboka of Ethiopia in what was the closest race to breaking a major record, the Canadian all-comers women’s record. Seboka pulled away after the halfway mark from her competitors, never looking back. She finished in 2:23:14, narrowly missing the record.