24-04-2013, 08:25 AM
OTTAWA - Athletics Canada's Canadian Half Marathon Championship is set for this Sunday April 28 in Montreal, Que., with a number of elites eying a national title. Headlining the men's and women's elite fields are Eric Gillis of Antigonish, N.S., and Krista DuChene of Brantford, Ont. The half marathon national championship is held in conjunction with Canada Running Series' Banque Scotia 21k.
Leading the way in the men's elite field is defending champion and 2012 Olympian Eric Gillis. Gillis is using the Canadian Half Marathon Championship to fine tune his marathon preparations. His main competition will come from Réjean Chiasson of St-Isidore, N. B. Chiasson who trains out of Athletics Toronto under the tutelage of Hugh Cameron placed third in the last three editions (2012, 2011, 2010) of the event. Both Eric (Kenya) and Réjean (Ethiopia) made trips to Africa this winter to take advantage of warm weather and altitude training.
The women's elite race features a number of competitors who on any given day can take it all home. Krista Duchene, Dayna Pidhoresky of Tecumseh, Ont., and Rachel Hannah of Toronto, Ont., are sure to be in the mix on race day. Pidhoresky took the event in 2011 while DuChene has already registered a standard over the marathon distance towards qualification for the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Athletics. Hannah is a fierce competitor coming off strong performances at both the 2013 NACAC and World Cross Country Championships.
Races begin at 10:00am eastern time in scenic Parc Jean Drapeau, a small island between Montreal's downtown and south shore.
Leading the way in the men's elite field is defending champion and 2012 Olympian Eric Gillis. Gillis is using the Canadian Half Marathon Championship to fine tune his marathon preparations. His main competition will come from Réjean Chiasson of St-Isidore, N. B. Chiasson who trains out of Athletics Toronto under the tutelage of Hugh Cameron placed third in the last three editions (2012, 2011, 2010) of the event. Both Eric (Kenya) and Réjean (Ethiopia) made trips to Africa this winter to take advantage of warm weather and altitude training.
The women's elite race features a number of competitors who on any given day can take it all home. Krista Duchene, Dayna Pidhoresky of Tecumseh, Ont., and Rachel Hannah of Toronto, Ont., are sure to be in the mix on race day. Pidhoresky took the event in 2011 while DuChene has already registered a standard over the marathon distance towards qualification for the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Athletics. Hannah is a fierce competitor coming off strong performances at both the 2013 NACAC and World Cross Country Championships.
Races begin at 10:00am eastern time in scenic Parc Jean Drapeau, a small island between Montreal's downtown and south shore.