Athletics Canada announced six athletes who will be part of Team Canada for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris: three in the marathon, two in the race walk, and one in the 10,000 meters.
Rory Linkletter, Cam Levins, and Malindi Elmore were each selected for the Canadian Marathon team. Linkletter and Levins have been on the shortlist since the Zurich Seville Marathon in February. At that race, Linkletter achieved the Olympic standard, which Levins already held. From then on it was a waiting game to see if additional Canadian national runners would both run the standard AND and a faster pace than their qualifying marks.
Elmore, who has represented Canada at two previous Games (Athens in 2004 in the 1500m and Tokyo in 2021 in the marathon), will once again don the red and white, joining Rory and Cam in the marathon. She is the previous Canadian national record holder in the event, having run 2:24:50 at the 2020 Houston Marathon.
Olivia Lundman and Evan Dunfee will be on the startlist in Paris for the race walk. Dunfee is one of Canada’s most decorated athletes, having represented Team Canada consistently at international competitions since 2013, tallying 9 international medals, including bronze at the Tokyo Olympics (50k race walk). Lundman will make her Olympic debut in Paris, having earned her qualifying mark and opportunity to represent Team Canada just weeks ago, setting a national record with Dunfee at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in the marathon distance (3:07:10). The duo will be competing in the inaugural Olympic marathon race walk mixed relay.
On the track Mohammed Ahmed earned his spot on Team Canada in the 10000 meters. He is the silver medalist from the Tokyo Olympics in the 5000m, and the Canadian record holder in distances ranging from the two-mile to the 10k, boasting an impressive personal best time of 26:34.14 in his qualifying event. This will be his third Olympics representing Team Canada (Rio and Tokyo, both times running the 5000m and 10000m).
The Paris Olympics are just over two months away, scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, with competitions in Athletics to begin August 1 and run through the end of the Games schedule.
Unlike the Team Trials process to represent the United States, Team Canada has a nomination and selection process. To be named to Team Canada, athletes must compete at an applicable Canadian Championships and all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee.
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