The Tartan Ottawa International Marathon took place on May 28, 2023, and saw some of the world’s top runners competing for the top prizes. This year’s marathon saw a total of 3,178 participants, with four Ethiopian runners claiming the top three spots and a Canadian woman placing second among women.
Yihunilign Adane was the overall winner with a time of 2:08:22, followed by Gebretsadik Abraha at 2:09:13 and Abdi Ali Gelchu in third place with a time of 2:10:38. Meanwhile, Waganesh Mekasha of Ethiopia placed first among women with a time of 2:24:47.1, with Malindi Elmore of Kelowna, B.C. finishing in second place overall among women with a time of 2:27:44.1, and Melat Kejeta of Germany in third place with a time of 2:27:50.1.
Lee Wesselius was the top Canadian male runner, finishing with a time of 2:18:26, while Malindi Elmore was the top Canadian female runner. In addition to the elite runners, 27,954 participants took part in all events during Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.
According to Run Ottawa executive director and race director Ian Fraser, the organizers of the event selected a top-notch field this year, with amazing African athletes, 11 Japanese runners, some Europeans, and some new Canadian talent that has the potential to be truly great one day.
Apart from the elite runners, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe participated in the marathon to raise money for Ottawa Salus, finishing with a time of 3:54:06. Sutcliffe is the first sitting mayor of Ottawa to participate in the Ottawa Marathon.
Cornwall, Ont’s Wendell Lafave also marked a significant milestone by completing his 200th marathon during the event, finishing the Ottawa marathon in a time of 5:08:14. Lafave has run marathons in all seven continents, in every Canadian province, and twice in all U.S. states.
Although no records were broken during this year’s marathon, the top male and female runners in the elite field won $30,000 for a first-place finish, $15,000 for a second place finish, and $10,000 for a third place finish. The top five Canadians received additional prize money, with $5,000 for first place, $2,500 for second, $1,500 for third, $1,000 for fourth, and $500 for fifth.
The men’s record for the Ottawa marathon currently stands at 2:06:04, set in 2022 by Andualem Belay Shiferaw, while the women’s record is at 2:22:17, set in 2018 by Gelete Burka. Breaking an Ottawa Marathon record comes with a $10,000 bonus. In 2022, Cam Levins and Natasha Wodak set the Canadian men’s and women’s records, respectively, with a time of 2:07:09 and 2:23:12. Canadians who break these records also receive a $10,000 bonus.
In summary, the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon is an annual event that brings together some of the world’s top runners to compete for top prizes. This year’s event saw four Ethiopian runners claiming the top three spots, with a Canadian woman placing second among women. The event also saw several other runners marking significant milestones, making it an unforgettable experience for all. With such an iconic event drawing thousands of participants from all over the world, it is no surprise that the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon has become a benchmark for long-distance running and has firmly put Ottawa on the map as a global sporting destination.
