© Copyright – 2024 – Athletics Illustrated
Canada’s Andrea Seccafien and the UK’s Tom Anderson are favourites to win Vancouver Sun Run on Sunday.
Andrea Seccafien
Canada’s Andrea Seccafien is the favourite to win the Vancouver Sun Run on Sunday. The Guelph, Ontario native, now living in Melbourne, Australia holds two Canadian records. She has run the 10,000-metre distance in the time of 31:13.94 in May 2021 improving Natasha Wodak’s record of 31:41.59. Seccafien also broke Wodak’s national half-marathon record of 1:09:41 when she clocked a 1:09:38 performance in Muragame, Japan in 2020.
The 33-year-old may seek qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, in the 5000m or 10,000m distances before the Canadian Olympic Trials this summer in Montreal. She did start the Tokyo Marathon in March, however, retired early to save herself for another day.
The Olympic standard for the 10,000m event is 30:40 and 14:52 for the 5000m. The other option is to be ranked top 27 globally in the 10,000m and top 42 for the 5000m — the selection is equally weighted between the two criteria. Seccafien has run the 5000m as fast as 14:47.07.
The Vancouver Sun Run is not eligible for national or international record or qualification standards, as there is a large drop during the first kilometre and the start and finish areas are too far apart. But, the event is competitive, offers a prize purse and provides athletes an opportunity to see where their fitness lies. Expect Seccafien to win. Other top athletes toeing the line are Canadians Leslie Sexton and Glynis Sim who competed in the 2024 World Cross Country Championships as well as Samantha Jory.
Tom Anderson
The 34-year-old British athlete will be looking to improve upon his own best over the distance of 30:21 from 2018. He has however, run must faster on the track at 28:35.47 in 2022 in London.
Anderson will be looking to run as fast as 27:00 this spring or summer to qualify for Paris in the 10,000m or be ranked top 27. It’s a tall order, but with the advent of super shoes and faster tracks there is a small chance. Last February he ran his best over the marathon at 2:12:37 in Seville which is more than two minutes off of the Olympic standard of 2:08:10 or top 80.
The first km of the Vancouver Sun Run is downhill and favourable for a very fast start for all. The course, thereafter gently rolls with a steep but short climb to the Burrard Bridge and over the Cambie St. Bridge near the finish. Racing the Vancouver Sun Run provides an opportunity for athletes to race fast, in advance of select track races taking place in North America. Sunday’s race is no exception with favourable weather predicted.
The mass field will have over 40,000 runners, making it the largest 10K in North America.
Full list of elite athletes
Women
Christine Bant F30-34 F 32
Becca Brennan F25-29 F 28
Courtney Brohart F30-34 F 34
Lisa Brooking F35-39 F 36
Carolyn Buchanan F25-29 F 29
Kelly Challinor F25-29 F 28
Alita Dommann F55-59 F 55
Asia Dwyer F30-34 F 31
Ria Gill F19-24 F 21
Ally Ginther F25-29 F 28
Elizabeth Hirsch F25-29 F 26
Sarah Hutchings F40-44 F 42
Sarah Inglis F30-34 F 32
Samantha Jory F25-29 F 28
Sandra Kilmartin F30-34 F 30
Christy Lovig F45-49 F 47
Jen Millar F40-44 F 44
Moeko Sanada F45-49 F 49
Polly Moody F40-44 F 40
Courtney Olsen F35-39 F 36
Danielle Orie F25-29 F 25
Melissa Paauwe F40-44 F 40
Briana Scott F30-34 F 33
Leslie Sexton F35-39 F 36
Eriko Soma F40-44 F 42
Keila Stark F25-29 F 28
Katrina Sutton-Allison F30-34 F 30
Katherine Watson F35-39 F 36
Sabrina Wilkie F35-39 F 39
Catherine Young F40-44 F 44
Jouen Chang F19-24 F 24
Zoe Doorenspleet F19-24 F 22
Holly Clarke F30-34 F 32
Lauren Prufer F30-34 F 34
Andrea Seccafien F30-34 F 33
Tori Bouck F19-24 F 23
Eliyah Brawdy F19-24 F 23
Emma Kearns F19-24 F 22
Jamie Hennessey F19-24 F 24
Aidan Anderson M25-29 M 27
Simon Berube M25-29 M 26
Gene Beveridge M30-34 M 32
Men
Thomas Broatch M25-29 M 25
Christopher Chan M19-24 M 24
Jack Cook M55-59 M 56
Brett Crowley M25-29 M 29
Mark Cryderman M50-54 M 50
Mitch De Lange M25-29 M 25
Jeremy Deere M45-49 M 48
Ehab El-Sandali M25-29 M 27
Thomas Fafard M25-29 M 25
Ryan Hayden M40-44 M 42
Daniel Heschuk M25-29 M 27
Matthew Hope M25-29 M 29
Dean Kato M35-39 M 35
Aven Kifle M19-24 M 19
Thomas Nobbs M19-24 M 24
Tomos Land M19-24 M 22
Dan Levitt M50-54 M 54
Jerry Loeb M45-49 M 49
Logan Arthur M19-24 M 24
Craig McMillan M45-49 M 47
Michael Milic M25-29 M 25
David Morrissey M45-49 M 47
Cassian Murray-White M19-24 M 22
David Mutai M35-39 M 38
Matt Noseworthy M25-29 M 28
James Ormesher M80-84 M 83
Nicholas Pedersen M19-24 M 23
Alexandre Ricard M35-39 M 35
Ryan Russell M35-39 M 35
Riley Stuermer M25-29 M 25
Michael Thorburn M30-34 M 31
Liam Watson M45-49 M 47
Robin Watson M40-44 M 40
Matt Welch M25-29 M 29
Frank Woolstencroft M45-49 M 45
Lucas Bruchet M30-34 M 33
Graeme Law M30-34 M 33
Ron Loewen M30-34 M 34
Brendan Urlocker M30-34 M 32
Brad Cunningham M45-49 M 48
Nathan Dehghan M25-29 M 28
Steve Dion M30-34 M 34
Tyler Dozzi M25-29 M 25
Christian Gravel M30
Greg Hetterley M25
Kyle Kimura M30
Josh Kozelj M25
Mark Pinckard M60
Andrew Russel M40
Chris Taylor M30
Chris Winter M35
Kristopher Swanson M40
Thomas Mikkelson M25
Chris Napier M45
Tom Anderson M30
Rachel Cliff F35
Mitchell Howlett M30
Colin Kroeger M40
William Pidduck M25
Kyle Porter M19
Glynis Sim F25
Mikayla Tinkham F25
Turner Wiley M30
