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While five Canadian marathon runners will be giving the respective Paris Olympic standards a go in Hamburg and Copenhagen over the next two weeks, other strong performances are afoot. From the hammer to the racewalk, Canadians are getting it done.

Ethan Katzberg

It may be dramatic to quote William Wallace, the character in Braveheart played by Mel Gibson, but Canada’s Ethan Katzberg is truly living his best days right now — to date — there is surely more to come. So, with respect: “Every man dies, not every man truly lives,” — William Wallace.

Katzberg posted the longest hammer throw in 16 years, not from just of own performances or by a Canadian, but the world. He tossed the archaic war implement 84.38 metres which is now not just better than his national record, it is the best toss in North American history. The performance happened on Saturday, April 20 in Nairobi, KEN. Katzberg in September took the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championship gold with his 81.25m toss. It is now a ballistic missile when it leaves his grip. Anticipate an Olympic medal this summer in Paris, perhaps gold.

The 22-year-old Nanaimo, BC native burst onto the international scene at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games with a silver medal and a 76.36m toss. His latest is just out of this world. Or at least nearly clearing an entire soccer pitch, lengthwise.

Evan Dunfee and Olivia Lundman

Little Nanaimo on Vancouver Island has always had a competitive athletics culture. Lundman, literally walking in the footsteps of the great Evan Dunfee is carving out a racewalking career. Her career moved in the right direction when she qualified — with Dunfee — for the Paris Olympic mixed marathon relay on Sunday, April 21 after competing in the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships at the Antalya Expo Centre in Turkey.

Dunfee earned bronze at the 2020 (2021) Tokyo Olympic Games in the 50km event in 3:50:59. He walked nine minutes faster at the Rio Olympic Games and was in podium position, but was thrown off of his rhythm during the latest stages by a competitor. He finished fourth. In Doha, in 2019, Dunfee earned a bronze at the World Championships. The 33-year-old Richmond, BC native holds five national records, two of which are North American records. His career is well-established. Lundman is just getting going.

The 21-year-old holds the Canadian U20 national record in the 10,000m event with her Kamloops 2022 performance of 47:24.73. She is the 2023 national 20,000m champion from her performance in Langley (near Vancouver and Richmond) at the national championships. The relay qualification puts Lundman on her first senior international team for Canada.

The mixed marathon relay includes male and female competitors who alternate two races each racewalking the length of a marathon at 42.195kms.

The two clocked a 3:07:10 performance.

Marco Arop

Marco Arop already looks to be in the kind of shape that puts the scare into his competitors. The 800m specialist is the defending world champion and Canadian record holder. His fastest performance is 1:42.85 from the 2022 Eugene World Athletics Championships where he finished third.

In the ultra-competitive Diamond League on Saturday, April 20, Arop had an early-season statement win in Xiamon, China clocking a 1:43.61 performance. It is the world-leading time for 2024. With as much runway, between April 20 to late July when the Games begin, Arop looks to be in fine form to stand on the podium or perhaps even take gold in Paris.

The Edmonton, AB native will be looking to avenge his 14th place finish from the Tokyo Olympic Games and carry on the world-class running which he has demonstrated since.

Glynis Sim

Although the Paris Olympic Games may be a little out of reach at this time for Vancouver’s Glynis Sim it is not impossible. The 26-year-old is experiencing her best season to date, which is saying a lot as she started running at an early age, competing on the track and in cross-country around the province of BC.

Glynis Sim winning the 2024 Vancouver Sun Run in 32:17. Photo credit: Christopher Kelsall/Athletics Illustrated

In January, she won the provincial 10km road championships in Cobble Hill, BC clocking a new personal best time of 33:23. On Sunday, April 21, she surprised herself with the win during the Vancouver Sun Run. In front of approximately 35,000 others, she improved her best by 1:06 finishing in 32:17. She pipped two-time winner Leslie Sexton with a km to go and never looked back.

In March, she and sometimes training partner Sexton competed for Canada at the Belgrade World Cross Country Championships. Also, in March, Sim won the provincial 5km road championships in a new personal best time of 15:37. Her focus going forward for 2024 may be in the 5000m event. In May last year, she clocked a new pb of 15:35.82 at Griswold Stadium in Portland. She will be competing in the Harry Jerome Track Classic in June and is looking for other opportunities to improve her best over the 12.5-lap distance event.

The Paris Olympic qualification standard is 14:52 and or be ranked top 42 globally. While the standard may be a bit of a stretch this season, it is not out of the realm of possibility considering her Vancouver Sun Run performance.

Audrey Leduc

At Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA Audrey Leduc improved on Angela Bailey’s national 100m sprint record with a 10.96 performance. The 25-year-old’s previous best was 11.38 from July last year in Toronto. The jump in performance is staggering. Bailey’s record dates back some 37 years to July 6, 1987, from the Budapest Grand Prix where she clocked a 10.98 performance. Bailey later died of lung cancer.

The Paris Olympic standard is 11.07 and 56 women and men will toe-the-starting-blocks in Paris in the event. Leduc opened her 2023 season with an 11.53 sprint at the Florida Relays in Gainesville, FLA. Leduc now needs to finish top three at the Canadian Olympic Trials in Montreal to cement her position on Team Canada. The meeting will take place at the Complexe Sportif Claude Robillard between June 27 and 30.

Leduc opened her 2023 season with a 11.53 sprint at the Florida Relays in Gainesville, FLA.

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