Nanaimo’s Osaduik prevents Kenyan sweep at Royal Victoria Marathon

Steve Osaduik’s course record remains intact at the Royal Victoria Marathon, but the Nanaimo runner had to settle for second place, in this year’s race on Sunday.

Kenya’s Hillary Cheruiyot took top honours in 2:19:26, over a challenging 42.2K course through the British Columbia capital. Osaduik finished second in 2:22:42, well short of his course record 2:16:49, set in 2006.

Kenyans Lameth Mosoti and Philip Samoei placed third and fourth in 2:24:43 and 2:25:32.

Hometown favourite Cheryl Murphy of Victoria won the women’s marathon title in 2:44:01.

But the best performance of the day was likely Marilyn Arsenault’s 1:15:39 to win the women’s half marathon.

Arsenault, an opera-singer who performs with Pacific Opera Victoria and the Victoria Symphony, is coached by former Olympian Jon Brown.

Brown won his fourth Royal Victoria half marathon title in a solid 1:04:57.

A record 12,492 runners competed in the 8K, half marathon and marathon races, under ideal sunny fall conditions.

The race also included some big names, such as two-time Olympic-medallist Simon Whitfield, who placed fourth in the men’s 8K in 26:09 behind fellow Victorian and winner Matt Clout’s 24:52.

Former Ironman Hawaii legend Lori Bowden ran the marathon in 3:09, showing she’s still got some fight left in her.

Full results are available at http://www.royalvictoriamarathon.com/