Rory Linkletter left little doubt this time. A year after winning the Canadian Half Marathon Championships by a single second, Linkletter successfully defended his title Sunday morning in Edmonton, pulling away to earn a much more comfortable victory.

On the women’s side, 23-year-old Jadyn Keeler delivered an impressive win in her half-marathon debut. The Barrie, Ont., runner only recently turned professional, signing with Adidas earlier this month after a standout NCAA career at the University of North Dakota.

Sunday’s championships were held as part of the Servus Edmonton Marathon, on an out-and-back course that began near the Edmonton Convention Centre and ran west through the city.

Linkletter runs away from the field

Linkletter entered as the defending champion and clear favourite. Last year, he and Cam Levins fought all the way to the finish, with Linkletter winning in 1:03:00, just one second ahead of Levins. There was no finish-line drama this time. Linkletter broke away from the field and was on his own right through the final kilometres, comfortable enough with his victory to high-five some fans and stroll backward over the finish line.

Behind him was Thomas Nobbs, who crossed the line in 1:04:45, continuing what has been a breakthrough season for the 26-year-old Vancouver native. In March, Nobbs won the McKirdy Micro Marathon in New York in 2:09:25, a three-minute personal best that moved him to fourth on the Canadian all-time marathon list.
Ben Preisner took third for the second year in a row, finishing in 1:o4:54. The Milton, Ont., Olympian is Canada’s third-fastest marathoner, with a best of 2:08:58. Preisner’s legs are fresh off another half-marathon podium finish; the previous weekend, at Lululemon’s SeaWheeze Half Marathon in Vancouver, Preisner won in 1:06:11, setting a new course record.

Levins, the Canadian marathon record holder and last year’s runner-up, finished sixth.

Keeler denies Natasha Wodak a 13th national title

Keeler’s victory was the surprise of the morning. The 23-year-old was making her professional road-racing debut and her first attempt at the half-marathon distance, only 10 days after signing with Adidas. She holds the Canadian under-23 record of 15:14.76 for the indoor 5,000m and ran 31:56.03 for 10,000m in April. Keeler also finished sixth in the 10,000m at this year’s NCAA outdoor championships. She had built her latest training block around the move to 21.1K, but winning against such a deep, experienced field made for a remarkable half-marathon debut.

Florence Caron finished second in 1:12:12, returning to the championship podium after placing second among Canadians last year. Caron is also the reigning Canadian 10K champion, a title she won by more than 45 seconds in Ottawa in May. Quebec’s Élissa Legault completed the podium, running 1:14:58 to take third. Legault was the top Canadian woman at this year’s Ottawa Marathon, where she ran her second consecutive sub-2:30.

Defending champion Natasha Wodak had arrived in Edmonton hoping to win the 13th national title of her career. The two-time Olympian and Canadian marathon record holder had already won two half marathons this year, including the Vancouver Half Marathon in June.

For full results of the Canadian Half Marathon Championships and the Servus Edmonton Marathon, head here.