STWM adds 2:05 marathoner to field

Ethiopia’s Deressa Chimsa, a world silver medalist over the half-marathon distance, has declared he will run the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct. 20.

Chimsa will be racing to claim the $25,000 bonus for breaking Canadian all-comers record of 2:07:57. Chimsa is capable of collecting the cash. He holds a personal best of 2:05:42 and has run a handful of times under 2:08 over the past three seasons. The prize purse can also increase depending on how fast the winning times are, to a maximum of $50,000 for a sub-2:06 performance. The current record was set in 2010 by Kenya’s Kenneth Mungara.

Chimsa replaces his training partner Seboka Tola, who has been forced to withdraw from the race citing an injury.

Chimsa finished second to world record holder Zersenay Tadese last fall in the World Half-Marathon Championships with his personal best over that distance of 1:00:51 in Kavarna, Bulgaria.

The elite field for both the men’s and women’s race are shaping up to be strong. The new course that runs along Bloor St. and through Chinatown before heading to the lakeshore is flat and fast. Last year, humid conditions slowed the top athletes from really racing for the record. The men’s race was won by Betona Warga in 2:10:35.