Men

THE DEFENDING CHAMPION:

Kenneth MUNGARA
Odds: 11-2

Age 37. Kenneth loves Toronto Waterfront! In STWM 2008 he had a thrilling one-second victory in a sprint to the line up Bay Street, in 2:11:01. He followed that up last Fall with a massive PR of 2:08:32, a convincing victory, and the fastest time ever run on Canadian soil. Can Kenneth 3-peat?

THE CONTENDERS:

Chala LEMI
Odds: 11-2

The 2nd place finisher at STWM 2009 in a PR of 2:08:48 — his first time under 2:09. He’s only 23 years old and one of Ethiopia’s bright young stars. He trains with Coach Haji Adilo’s group in Addis Ababa. Chala vows to return and “do one better” this year!

Teshome GELANA
Odds: 5-1

A 25-year-old teammate of Chala Lemi’s. Teshome ran 2:12:03 in Warsaw last Fall, then had a huge breakthrough to win Houston this January in 2:07:37. The second fastest man on the Start line, and the oddsmakers’ pre-race favourite.

Daniel RONO
Odds: 11-2

Age 32 yrs. STWM’s most-famous alumni returns. Daniel was our Champion in 2:10:15, then placed 2nd in 2007. In ’07 he ran 2:09:35, only to lose in a dramatic finish, to countryman John Kelai, whose 2:09:30 was at that time the fastest marathon ever run in Canada. After that, Daniel went onto record a scintillating 2:06:58 in Rotterdam in Spring 2008, place 3rd in New York in Fall ’08, then 2nd in the illustrious Boston Marathon in Spring ’09. Now he’s coming back to where his big breakthrough began, looking for victory AND a fast time.

Zimbaba YIGEZE
Odds: 11-2

Will be running on his 27th birthday! A man with some speed, and a 27:37 10,000m on the track. He ran 2:09:46 in Reims, France last year, then made a big move to run 2nd to compatriot Teshome Gelana in Houston on January 17th, in a PR of 2:08:27. He followed that up with a 2:08:48 in Paris in April [7th place].

Jafred CHIRCHIR
Odds: 10-1

Made a major improvement this Spring with a 2:09:15 surprise victory in Milan over some talented competition. It was just his 4th marathon, and a big step forward from the 2:10:42 he ran in Vienna in April 2009.

Gashaw Melese ASFAW
Odds: 10-1

Before last year’s race, we wrote this about Gashaw: “The real deal! Won Paris in 2006 in 2:08:03. Was 7th in Beijing Olympic Marathon, and 6th in Boston this Spring. Can Gashaw’s experience guide the pack to a bunch of 2:08 and 2:09 performances?” And he did just that, making a decisive, strong move at 30k, just as the pace was starting to slip. It pushed Kenneth Mungara to a 2:08:32 victory, Chala Lemi to a 2:08:49 second-place, while Gashaw took third in 2:09:23. Since then, he’s won again in Shanghai in November, and placed 6th again in Boston this April. Can this masterful veteran use his guile to lead him to victory this year?

David TARUS
Odds: 10-1

Age 29 yrs. Is he ready to “pop” one? Since placing 4th at STWM2008, David has subsequently gone onto run 2:12:02 in the heat of Mumbai ’09, 61:29 in the Lille Half last year, then a PR of 2:09:24 in Eindhoven last Fall.

Nixon MACHICHIM
Odds: 20-1

Age 26 yrs. A young man on the move, confident and motivated after a strong run in Rome in March — a 2:09:08 for 3rd on a tough course. This was a major step forward after running several smaller marathons in the 2:13 to 2:15 range.

David NJAGI
Odds: 20-1

Another relatively unknown, talented East African, who did a great job of pacemaking Gelana and Yigeze in Houston to 32km in January, then went on to victory at the Valencia Marathon in 2:09:44 the following month.

Denis NDISO
Odds: 25-1

Age 26. Champion in Mumbai in January 2010 [2:12:34]. However, Denis is a talent just waiting to “pop’ a marathon, and maybe the best “Outsider” bet! Has a Half PR of 60:33, and has run under 62 minutes for the half-marathon 6 times. He led the pack through halfway at the Prague Marathon this May in an injudicious 62:33 before fading to 6th in his current PR of 2:10:51…

Beraki ZEREA
Odds: 25-1

The first Eritrean to toe the Start line in Toronto, Beraki ran a 2:11:55 in Frankfurt last October, then improved to a 2:10:06 Hamburg in April, for 3rd place.

THE OUTSIDERS:

Eric GILLIS
Odds: 50-1

Age 30 yrs. Eric is the leader of a new generation of Canadian men’s marathoners – the best we’ve seen in 15 years. Originally from Antigonish, Eric now lives and trains with Guelph’s Speed River TC. He represented Canada in the 10,000m at the Beijing Olympics, then “moved up” for an impressive, controlled 2:13:52 marathon debut at Houston in January; now he’s ready to show the world we can be internationally competitive.

Reid COOLSAET
Odds: 50-1

Age 31 yrs. A Hamilton native and club-mate of Eric Gillis’ at Speed River, Reid ran last year’s Ottawa Marathon on just 6 weeks training to win a place running the World Championship Marathon for Canada in Berlin last August where he ran his 2:16:53 PR. With better times than Eric at every distance except the marathon, Reid hopes they can push each other to both set new PRs and beat the Africans.

Alejandro SUAREZ
Odds: 50-1

Represented Mexico in the 10,000m at the Beijing Olympics. Has 13:18 and 27:43 PRs at 5000m & 10,000m. Currently Mexico’s #1 marathoner, this will be his third crack at the distance, following a 2:13:33 cautious debut at Maraton Lala in 2009, and then a 10th place finish at Boston this April in 2:12:33.

Francis MUENDO
Odds: 50-1

Age 32. Had a strong breakthrough at last year’s STWM, where he ran his 2:12:09 PR to place 5th.

Minoru OKUDA
Odds: 75-1

Age 25 yrs. One of the best young prospects on the HONDA Japan team, Minoru will be making his marathon debut in Toronto. He has an impressive half marathon PR of 62:53 run in Yamaguchi last year, and this Spring ran 64:00 at Sendai Half.

Matt LOISELLE
Odds 100-1

Age 26 yrs. Canadian Half Marathon Champion in both 2009 [64:10] and 2010 [65:07]. A member of the BROOKS Canada Marathon Project, ready to move up and make his mark at full 42km distance, with hopes of London 2012.

Danny KASSAP
Odds: 100-1

Age 28. Now a Canadian citizen, Danny astounded us in 2004 when, as a young, new refugee to Toronto, he beat the field to claim victory at STWM, over the favoured Kenyans, in 2:14:50. As his life and running career were finally surging forward, with a win at Montreal Marathon and a 15th place at London in April 2008, Danny experienced an almost-fatal heart attack at the 5km mark of the Berlin Marathon in September ’08. Now getting back to training with the medical thumbs-up, Danny hopes he can re-discover his former, winning form.

Thomas OMWENGA
Odds: 100-1

Age 30 yrs. Has run 2:12:50 and 2:12:29 the last two autumns in Dublin; the winner of the Vancouver Marathon this May in 2:16:55.

Dave NORMAN
Odds: 250-1

Age 31 yrs. An experienced marathoner, Dave Norman ran his 2:18:34 PR in 2005, and notched a 2:19:05 at this April’s London race.

Steve WAY
Odds 250-1

Age 36 yrs. A huge inspiration to all recreational athletes. A self-proclaimed “fat bloke, bouncing along next to club runners” when he weighed 225 lbs and ran 3:07 at the London Marathon in 2007. This Spring, he ran at a svelt 145 lbs and took 48 minutes off that time with a 2:19:38 PR!

Brian WILDER
Odds 250-1

Age 39 yrs. A relative newcomer to marathoning, he set his PR of 2:24:18 at London in April.

Gobin CONDOR
Odds 250-1

Age 32. A veteran on the Peruvian National Marathon Squad, who ran STWM07, but was forced to drop out because of injury. He has a marathon PR of 2:21:01, and most recently placed 9th at the Bogota International Half in 65:59. Bogota is over 2,600m above sea level — and this is always the challenge for Latin American athletes. How will they adjust to performing at sea level?

Wladir URETA
Odds 250-1

Age 28. Another member of the Peruvian National Marathon squad looking for international experience at sea-level. STWM2010 will be his marathon debut. He has a Half-marathon PR of 65:22 and ran 66:14, for 10th place at the Bogota Half on August 1st.

Women

Who can run the fastest Women’s time on Canadian soil? [Time to beat, 2:26:01]

THE CONTENDERS:

Tirfi Beyene TSEGAYE
Odds: 9-2

Only 25, but an top-tier international marathoner. After running 2:28 & 2:29 in Turin and Shanghai last year, she clocked a superb 2:24:51 for 3rd place in Paris this April. She clearly has the speed, as demonstrated by the 69:24 she ran in the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham last October — a time that earned her 6th place in the world championships event.

Firehiwot DADO
Odds: 9-2

Age 26 yrs. Co-favourite to win this year’s STWM, with fellow Ethiopian Tirfi Beyene. Firehiwot has staked her claim with back-to-back victories in Rome: in 2:27:08 last March, and 2:25:28 this Spring. Also a member of Haji Adilo’s group in Addis, she hopes she and Teshome Gelana can make it a double victory for “Team Haji”.

Sharon CHEROP
Odds: 10-1

Age 26 yrs. Following a major win in Hamburg this Spring in 2:28:38, Sharon is in good form, and gunning for a 2:25. She hopes she can work with fellow-Kenyan Rose Kosgei to break up the dominant Ethiopian pack.

Merima MOHAMMED
Odds: 10-1

Remarkably, only 19 years old, this fine young talent has already won the 2010 Ottawa Marathon in 2:28:19 in May, and represented her country in the 5,000m at the World Junior Track & Field Championships in Moncton in July.

Koren YAL
Odds: 10-1

Age 23 yrs. Following her 2:28:41 second-place finish in Venice last November, Koren went on to notch a strong 70:52 at the Ras Al Khaimah Half in February. Buoyed, she went hard in April’s prestigious Boston Marathon. Injudiciously, she went with Teyba Erkesso, when Erkesso made the decisive break at halfway, running 16:21 between 20k and 25k. Koren paid the price, fading badly in the later stages, finishing 12th in 2:33; Teyba also faded but hung on for victory in 2:26:11. If Koren can run a more sensible pace on Toronto Waterfront, who knows…?

Alevtina IVANOVA
Odds: 25-1

Age 35 yrs. An experienced veteran, with PRs of 31:26 for 10k and 71:08 for the Half marathon; Alevtina has two victories in Nagano where she ran her PR of 2:26:38 in 2008. She was 2nd in Prague this Spring in 2:27:36. She trains with Mikhail Kuznetsov in Cheboksary, the base for almost all the top Russian female marathoners.

Rose KOSGEI
Odds: 25-1

Age 29 yrs. Has chosen STWM’s flat, fast course for her marathon debut. Rose starts as the impressive Prague Half Marathon champion for the past 2 years, running 69:57 this March and 69:03 last Spring.

Maki SUZAWA
Odds: 25-1

A member of Team Japan and star of the Yamada Denki Corporate Team. Maki is also making her marathon debut in Toronto, and hoping for great things. Her Half marathon PR of 70:23 suggests she’ll be in the thick of things, and battling hard for national honours.

THE OUTSIDERS

Albina MAYOROVA
Odds: 50-1

Age 33 yrs. A vastly-experienced marathoner at the highest levels, with a PR of 2:25:35 run in Chicago in 2003. Most recently, Albina placed 10th at Boston this Spring in 2:31:55.

Ayumi NAKAYAMA
Odds: 50-1

Age 25 yrs. Teammate to Maki Suzawa, Ayumi has a marathon PR of 2:28:50 at Osaka in 2008.

Lucy NJERI
Odds: 75-1

Age 32 yrs. Though based in Kenya, and training in Mexico, Lucy has friends in Toronto. Her connection has made her a multi-time winner of the Around the Bay, Harry’s Spring Run Off 8K and Sporting Life Toronto 10K races here. Her marathon PR of 2:34:00 was run in Monterrey in 2007.

Marilyn ARSENAULT
Odds 100-1

Age 42 yrs. A veteran from Victoria, BC, who has really blossomed over the last 18 months. Set a new course record in winning the Royal Victoria Half last October in 1:15:39. Was 3rd woman, 1st Master at Canadian Half Championships in Montreal this April in 1:16:33.

Josiane ABOUNGONO
Odds 100-1

Given her successes at shorter distances which have crowned her Canada Running Series Champion for the past 2 years, Josiane — originally from Gabon and now a Canadian citizen — has been motivated to try the marathon again. Ran 2:51:09 in London, Ontario in 2005.

Katherine MOORE
Odds 100-1

Age 32 yrs. From Vancouver, Katherine ran her PR of 2:47:47 in Victoria last Fall.

Sarah GEE
Odds: 100-1

Age 36 yrs. Having a banner year, having set PRs for every distance from 10K to the marathon – including her 2:38:10 victory in Edinburgh in May.

Julia BRISCOE
Odds: 100-1

Second-place in Edinburgh in 2:41:31 for her marathon debut.

Nicky ARCHER
Odds 100-1

Age 25 yrs. PR 2:42:22 run in London on April 25th this year.