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It was a warm welcome back for the Manitoba Marathon Sunday — a return after the race was cancelled in 2022 due to heat. Although Sunday’s race was warm with highs toward 30 degrees and apparent 95 percent humidity, athletes acquitted themselves well all events.

Mascouche, Quebec’s Élissa Legault won the Manitoba Half Marathon on Sunday in the time of one-hour, 12 minutes, and 15 seconds. She took the national championships over a minute ahead of Boise, Idaho’s Canadian resident Kinsey Middleton. Middleton clocked 1:13:38 for second place. Meanwhile, Vancouver’s Samantha Jory took third another 1:25 back of Middleton.

On May 29 last year, Legault ran the Tamarack Ottawa Marathon clocking a 2:33:27 performance. It is her current personal best. She has set a total of four new bests since then including a 10K road 33:51 result from Ottawa this year. She set a new 10,000m best of 33:19.94 at Swangard Stadium in 2022. Eight months ago she ran the Valencia Half Marathon setting a new best of 1:11:37. Winnipeg is her first national championship win.

File photo of Kinsey Middleton at Vancouver Sun Run. Photo credit: Christopher Kelsall/Athletics Illustrated

Legault finished behind just five men, while Middleton was ninth and Jory 11th overall.

As reported earlier, Cameron Levins won the Canadian Half Marathon Championships in the time of 1:01:42.

London, ON resident Phil Parrot-Migas finished in second place with a 1:06:43 performance and Surrey, BC’s Justin Kent took third in the time of 1:06:58.

The weekend also includes a 5K, 10K, and 50K ultramarathon.

Roger Hopper from Chesapeake, Virginia won the marathon in the time of 2:23:45. Blumenport, MAN native Streffan Reimer finished in second place clocking a 2:32:26. Paul Carr from Winnipeg finished third in 2:44:54.

It was a Winnipeg sweep in the women’s field with Dawn Neal winning the open and masters (40-plus) division with her 2:57:57 clocking. Nearly six minutes back was Jessica Wylychenko in 3:06:53 for second and Caroline Fisher third in the time of 3:15:07.

Full results