September 18, 2025

Canada sent a team of four marathoners to compete in the 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships. Both races were held in hot and humid temperatures (26-29°C), which created a race of attrition. The women's race was held on September 14, with the Canadian marathon record holder Natasha Wodak being the sole Canadian female runner. Her experience showed as she adhered to her game plan and ran according to the conditions. Although she was down to 36th place in the first half of the race, she rallied and finished in 31st place in a time of 2:36:02. This was Wodak's second appearance at the World Athletics Championships in the marathon, as she previously competed in Budapest, Hungary, in 2023. With such a long and illustrious athletics career spanning over 20 years, she wonders at the age of 43 if she will be competing in future World Athletics Marathons.

In the men's race, held on September 15, three experienced runners represented Canada: Cam Levins, Justin Kent, and Ben Preisner. Levins stayed quietly at the back of the lead pack for most of the race, taking on water, nutrition, and trying to keep cool with ice packs. The leading group of runners was composed of about 40 athletes, but with the heat and humidity of Tokyo, runners kept falling off the back. Twice during the later stages of the race between 30 and 35K, Levins fell back, but rallied and rejoined the lead pack. At 39K, a gap started to appear as the front runners pushed the pace to reach the finish line. Levins hung on to finish 12th in a time of 2:11:07. This was Levins' second World Athletics Marathon Championship, as he participated in 2022 in Eugene, Oregon, where he placed 4th.

Kent and Preisner ran together either in a pack or by themselves for most of the race. Kent managed to put a bit of distance from Preisner at the end of the race with Kent finishing in 35th place in a time of 2:17:12, while Preisner ended in 36th place with a time of 2:17:32. These results were similar to when they raced in the last World Athletics Championships marathon in Budapest, Hungary, in 2023, where they finished close together with Preisner in 27th and Kent in 29th, less than 30 seconds apart.

Kent thought it was a tough race with pretty brutal conditions. He says he "dealt with some scary hamstring cramping around 30k that forced me to slow down for a few km, but seemed to rally back the last 7km. I think I went from 51st to 35th."  He felt it was an "unreal experience finishing in the stadium".

Preisner had this to say after the race: "I’d say the race was a decent showing yesterday. I think I executed my race plan well through the first half and found a good group to work with. I was feeling confident going into the last 7k but I guess bit off more than I could chew and paid the price. All in all, it’s always an honour to represent Canada and be able to compete against the best in the world. Looking forward to using this as a learning experience."

       September 8, 2025

From September 13 to 21, the eyes of the world will be on Tokyo as it hosts the 2025 World Athletics Championships. Canada is sending a strong team to Tokyo for the marathon. Initially, three women and three men were to participate; however, Malindi Elmore had to withdraw due to an injury sustained in July. Moreover, Leslie Sexton also had to pull out. Four elite Canadian runners will thus be competing in the marathon: Natasha Wodak, Justin Kent, Cam Levins, and Ben Preisner. The women’s marathon will be held on September 14, while the men’s race will be on the 15th. As usual, the temperature is expected to be hot, in the mid-30°C, which will make it challenging for all runners.

Natasha Wodak

Canada’s female marathon record holder will be competing in her second World Athletics Marathon Championships. She competed in the previous World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in 2023 where she finished 15th in a time of 2:30:09. Wodak, a native of BC, set her Canadian marathon record in Berlin in 2022 with a time of 2:23:12. Her prospect for Tokyo look good with her recent win at the 2025 Canadian Half-Marathon Championship in Edmonton, AB where she clocked a 1:11:40. Wodak is familiar with international competition as she also participated in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in the 10,000m and in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in the marathon. Her national titles include a 5K championship in 2015, two 10K championships in 2022 and 2023, two half-marathon championships in 2024 and 2025, and the Canadian marathon championship in 2024.

Justin Kent

Kent is poised for a good race in Tokyo as he just set his marathon Personal Best in March, clocking a 2:09:29, becoming the fourth fastest Canadian marathoner.  His training is going well, and he is ready for the Worlds, as he revealed to Road Running Canada, “just doing everything I can to prepare for the heat and humidity.” “I’m now 3 minutes faster than I was at the last World Champs in Budapest. I’m excited to mix it up with the world’s best.” As he mentions, he participated in the 2023 World Athletics Championships marathon, where he finished 29th in a time of 2:15:26. Kent was the 2024 Canadian Marathon Champion when he raced in Toronto with a time of 2:12:17.

Cam Levins

It is difficult not to think of Levins when you think of Canadian marathoners. Levin, from BC, was the first Canadian to break Jerome Drayton’s marathon record of 2:10:09 that stood for 43 years. Levin broke that record in Toronto in 2018 when he clocked a 2:09:25 in his first marathon. Levins followed that performance with a 2:07:09 in 2022 at the World Athletics Championships, and an even more astonishing performance when he broke his record again in 2023, when he clocked a 2:05:36 in Tokyo. These performances bode well for Levins, who will be familiar with racing in Tokyo, having also run in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics Marathon. Levins, who represented Canada in the 2012 London Olympics in the 5,000m and 10,000m, is also the 2017 Canadian 5K Champion, the 2018 Canadian Marathon Champion, and the 2023 and 2024 Canadian Half-Marathon Champion. He holds the Canadian Half-Marathon record of 1:00:18 set in Vancouver, BC, in 2023.

Ben Preisner

Preisner is also familiar with Tokyo and racing at the highest level of competition. Preisner was the highest placing Canadian at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic marathon where is placed 46th in a time of 2:19:27. He improved his placing at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary in 2023 when he finished 28th in 2:15:02. Preisner, from Ontario but currently living in BC, is currently the third fastest Canadian marathoner with his 2:08:58 which in ran in Japan in 2024. His readiness for running in Japan is evident by his clocking of a 2:10:32 in Osaka in February of this year. As told to the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast, after his 3rd place at the Canadian Half-Marathon Championships, he is feeling good. The race gave him confidence, yet he realises that the hot and humid Tokyo weather will make the marathon more of a race of attrition.

August 29, 2025

After winning the Canadian 10K Championships in May while setting a national record of 28:06, you might think that Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (CPT) from Quebec City is at the top of his game and ready to continue setting great performances. He will certainly do that as he has been selected to compete in the 2025 Tokyo World Track and Field Championships in September. However, after racing for the last 15 years, CPT is ready to hang up his competitive running shoes. But not before taking one last opportunity to enjoy himself on the roads of New York City in November. On August 19, 2025, the New York Road Runners announced their roster of elite athletes for the NYC Marathon, which included CPT as a first-time marathoner.

Philibert-Thiboutot has been running competitively since 2010, when he completed a 10K race in Quebec in 32:36. His focus has been on the track, with the 1,500m being his main event, representing Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. He has been the Canadian Champion at that distance four times. He also won the 2023 Pan American Games 1,500m in Santiago, Chile. He has dabbled in road races, as evidenced by his 2016 and 2024 Canadian 5K Championships and his recent 10K Championship. He completed a half-marathon in Toronto in 2018 with a time of 1:09:15, which is not indicative of his current capabilities.

In choosing the New York City Marathon, CPT mentions: "I've been told several times that it's the most interesting marathon with the best atmosphere. I want a great experience for my last race ever, so the time is secondary." After the marathon, Philibert-Thiboutot plans to rest and run for the joy of it. He will also be starting a full-time job in the new year.

August 18, 2025

A sunny and cool 12°C greeted the runners as they lined up for the start of the 2025 Edmonton Half-Marathon, which took place on Sunday, August 17, 2025. The race served as the Canadian Half-Marathon Championships, and over $10,000 was on the line for the elite runners competing to be named Canadian Half-Marathon Champion. The cool temperatures and the relatively flat course provided almost perfect conditions for fast times.

Top female runners on the start line included Natasha Wodak, Leslie Sexton, Lanni Marchant, Florence Caron, Maria Zambrano, and Lauren McNeil from England. By the mid-point of the race, McNeil was leading, followed closely by Caron, then Wodak and Marchant. By the time they reached the finish, McNeil had secured the win in a time of 1:11:25. Wodak was able to overtake Caron to claim the 2025 Canadian Half-Marathon Championships in a time of 1:11:40. Caron came in third in a time of 1:11:57, while Lanni Marchant was fourth, and Zambrano fifth.

Wodak, being the first Canadian, added another Canadian Championships title to her resume, and also earned $3,000 for her placing. Her next major race will be the World Track and Field Championships Marathon in Tokyo in September. Caron, who was crowned the 2025 Canadian 10,000m champion in June, was the second Canadian and won $1,750 for her efforts. Lanni Marchant, 10,000m bronze medalist at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto, ON, was the third Canadian and took home $750 for her efforts.

In the men's race, Canada's top marathoners lined up to race the Half-Marathon Championships with Cam Levins, Rory Linkletter, Ben Preisner, and Andrew Alexander leading the charge. All four were running together at the mid-point of the race. As the runners made their way to the finish line, Alexander was the first to fall back, followed by Preisner. As the end approached, Levins and Linkletter were neck to neck in a fierce battle for the title of Canadian Half-Marathon Champion. With the finish line in sight, Linkletter put on a surge that left Levins a few meters and one second behind by the time Linkletter broke the tape in 1:03:00. As Linkletter told CBC regarding the sprint finish with Levins, it was "super fun to battle with him and it took everything to get to the line first."

Preisner came a few seconds after Levins in 1:03:15 to round out the podium finishers. For their efforts, Linkletter earned $3,500, while Levins and Preisner won $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. The next major race for Linkletter will be the Chicago Marathon in October, while Levins and Preisner will be representing Canada at the World Track and Field Championships Marathon in Tokyo in September.

2025 Edmonton Half-Marathon Top Finishers

August 15, 2025

Ben Flanagan, a three-time Canadian 10K Champion, a 2024 Paris Olympian in the 5,000m, and the 2022 Canadian 5K Road Champion, will make his marathon debut at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 19. He will have the opportunity to become a Canadian champion at the marathon distance.

Originally from Kitchener, Ontario, Flanagan currently resides in Cape Cod, USA, with his wife and daughter. He is sponsored by On Running and trains under coach Jon Green, who also coaches Rory Linkletter.

Flanagan holds the Canadian 5K Road Record at 13:26 and has personal bests of 28:09 for the 10K and 1:01:00 for the half-marathon. He is well-prepared to run a fast time at the Canadian Championships. Flanagan views his first marathon as a stepping stone toward ultimately qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Marathon.

For more details, read the press release on Ben Flanagan from the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

 Flanagan leading the 2022 Canadian 5K Championships in Moncton, NB. (Photo: Norman Marcotte)