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Social and cover image by Margaret Buttner Twitter: @Margaretb_yvr

Japan’s citizen runner, Yuki Kawauchi won the Vancouver Marathon for the second time in his career on Sunday. After the race, he said that after running 114 sub-2:20 marathons, Vancouver is his favourite.

Two years ago, in Otsu, Japan, he ran his personal best of 2:07:27. In February, the 36-year-old clocked a near personal best in Osaka with a 2:07:35 performance.

Finishing in second place was Kenyan David Mutai, who is currently attending Trinity Western University and living in Langley, BC. He took second at the TC10K in Victoria one week ago clocking a 30:04 finish time. After the race, he told Athletics Illustrated, “I would like to run 2:20:00 in Vancouver — mission accomplished. Finishing in third place was Mississauga, Ontario’s Sergio Raez Villanueva recording a 2:23:21 finish time. Villanueva owns a best from Toronto last year of 2:18:04. Kip Kangogo of Lethbridge was the first master athlete across the line. He recorded a 2:25:29 performance to lead all aged 40 and over.

Vancouver’s Dayna Pidhoresky won back-to-back races, first the TC10K in 34:33 for her second win in Victoria. Sunday, she ran a solid 2:34:27. The Tokyo Olympian owns a best of 2:29:03 from Toronto 2019. Pidhoresky finished behind just 11 men.

Rozlyn Boutin took second in the time of 2:48:09. Her personal best coming into the race was from Vancouver last year with her 2:50:32.
Callahan McKenzie took third in the time of 2:49:28. The top master was Victoria’s Catrin Jones with her 2:52:22 performance. It was a family affair as her husband and two daughters were on hand to great mom at the finish.

Calgary ultramarathon runner Dave Proctor took in the race. He broke Al Howie’s cross-Canada run last summer and demonstrated incredible resolve to run 7200 kilometres across Canada in fewer than 68 full days. In so doing, he broke Al Howie’s 1991 record run that took 72 days — a record long thought to be unbreakable. Proctor finished in the time of 2:46:24 and was the third 40-plus master across the line.

Athletics Illustrated and freelance photographer, 73-year-old Joseph Camilleri won his 70-74 age group clocking a 3:24:10. He finished in 468th place, out of 3,431 in his gender or 511th out of 5,048 overall.

Half Marathon

The top-three men in the half marathon were Campbellton, NB runner Mohamed Aagab who took the win with a 1:06:55 performance. In second place was Vancouver’s Lucas Bruchet at 1:07:17. Nathan Dehghan took third in 1:08:17. For Aagab, the 29-year-old Moroccan Sunday’s performance was just 11 seconds off his personal best from 2017 in Agadir, Morocco.

Although Bruchet continues to race well, the Olympian is allegedly retired. The 5000m specialist’s best in the half marathon is from 2018 when he ran 1:03:12 in Mission, BC. The top master was Vancouver’s Jeremiah Ziak with his 1:12:09. He is in the 45-49 age group.

The top three women were Vancouver’s Natalia Allen in 1:14:58. She was followed in by Lisa Brooking in 1:16:42 and Katrina Allison took third in the time of 1:18:46. Allen competed in the Tokyo Olympic Games in the 1500m event. She is now retired from competitive running, however, continues to enjoy racing and being fit.

Shoestrings

Vancouver area runner Justin Kent ran a new marathon personal best in Prague, Czech clocking a 2:13:07 finish time. His best was from Ottawa last year where he cranked out a 2:13:34. The winning time was by Kenyan Alexander Mutiso who finished in 2:05:09.

1. MUTISO ALEXANDER – KEN – 2:05:09
2. LEMMA SISAY – ETH – 2:06:26
3. RONO PHILEMON – KEN – 2:06:51
4. KANGOGO JUSTUS – KEN – 2:07:40
5. IIDA TAKAYUKI – JPN – 2:09:34
6. YASUI YUICHI – JPN – 2:10:33
7. SIMBASSA  ABBABIYA – USA – 2:10:34
8. HATTORI YUMA – JPN – 2:10:34
9. KIBET ELKANAH – USA – 2:10:43
10. KENT JUSTIN – CAN – 2:13:07

TOP RESULTS WOMEN MARATHON

1. EDESA WORKENESH – ETH – 2:20:42
2. WANGARI MARGARET – KEN – 2:23:52
3. KIBIWOT VIOLA – KEN – 2:24:54
4. ROTICH PAMELA – KEN-  2:27:35
5. MÉLODY JULIEN – FRA – 2:29:07
6. LEWETEGN SINTAYEHU – ETH – 2:29:42
7. STEWARTOVÁ MOIRA – CZE – 2:31:54
8. MACUROVÁ BARBORA – CZE – 2:35:25
9. BERNARDELLI IWONA – POL – 2:35:28
10. FILIPIOVÁ EVA – CZE – 2:43:50