The race serves as both a redemption run and a chance at the Canadian U20 10K record
TORONTO, ONTARIO, October 7, 2021 — Grade 12 phenom, Micaiah Ellis, is making moves from the track to the road, having confirmed his entry in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 10K in-person race on October 17. Hosted in partnership with Run Ottawa, the race will double as the Athletics Canada Canadian 10K Championships.
Like many other athletes, the Scarborough, Ontario student had to adjust his training when the pandemic struck. While training virtually with his coach at the height of the pandemic may not have had the same appeal as outdoor workouts with his club, Ellis has been pushing himself to improve his times and make a mark this season. The pandemic may have caused missed milestones and forced the cancellation of important athletic events, but Ellis has strived to overcome the disappointment that Covid-19 has brought — and his efforts have proven to be momentous.
In July, Ellis competed in the 400m at the NXTCHAMP Invitational in Toronto — an invite-only event for Ontario athletes — earning first place with a time of 49.02 seconds. Soon after, he won the 800m at the York University Track and Field Club Twilight Meet #1, clocking in at 1:51.37.
His winning streak did not stop there. Only five days later, he claimed first in the 800m at the Athletics Ontario U20 Championships, running a personal best of 1:50.47, a time that fell under the World Athletics standard of 1:50.80.
Despite the achievement, Ellis narrowly missed his chance at securing one of the two 800m spots for the 2021 U20 World Athletics Championships team for Canada, a missed opportunity that could have led him to compete in Kenya this past August. His efforts were thwarted when Kootenay Track Club’s Matti Erikson took the last spot later that evening at the BC Endurance Challenge with a time of 1:50.11.
While Ellis did go on to claim first at the Athletics Ontario U18 Championships in August, running the 800m in 1:51.25, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 10K presents an opportunity for the teenaged track star to showcase his range as an elite athlete. A predominantly 800m runner, the 10K Championships will give Ellis a shot at the Canadian U20 10K record, as well as a chance at redemption after the heartache of missing out on the U20 World Championships.
The current Canadian U20 10K record stands at 32:22, which has been held by Russell Pennock since 2014, when he claimed the title at the Times Colonist 10K in Victoria, British Columbia. The progression that Ellis has made this season puts him in a hopeful position to be crowned with a new title.
Ellis is not without competition, however. Another promising young athlete, 17-year-old Will Cowling, is in the running as well. Like Ellis, Cowling is a rising track athlete who typically sticks to shorter distances — the 1,500m and 3,000m distances in Cowling’s case. Hailing from Uxbridge, Ontario, Cowling took home first place in the 1,500m at the Edge Elite Distance in July, a race hosted by Runners’ Edge and Thorold Elite TC in Welland, Ontario. His time was 3:59:33.
Despite coming off several recent wins, the young athletes will need to dig deep to make their mark at the 10K Championships. Trading the track for a road race against a stacked lineup of seasoned athletes can be intimidating. Ellis’s and Cowling’s inclusion on the start line serves as a testament to their progression and talent, however, and provides them with an incredible opportunity to prove whether their range as young athletes extends off the track and onto the road.
Media interested in covering the STWM 10K can register for accreditation here. All media must receive advance accreditation to gain access to the in-person event on October 17.
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About the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon
The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has served as the Athletics Canada national marathon championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2020 event, participants raised over $2.96 million for 163 community charities through the
Scotiabank Charity Challenge. In 2021, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon will host a 10K along Toronto’s scenic lakeshore, the first in-person race for Canada Running Series since the pandemic began, which will also double as the Athletics Canada 10K Championships in partnership with Run Ottawa.
Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process. For more information, visit: https://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/
About Athletics Canada
Athletics Canada is the national sport governing body for track and field, para athletics, crosscountry running, and road running. Its purpose is to support high performance athletics excellence at the world level, and to provide leadership in developmental athletics. Athletics Canada is a not for profit, charitable organization operating under a board of directors elected by provincial / territorial members. For more information, visit: https://athletics.ca/
About Run Ottawa
Run Ottawa is the National Capital Region’s premiere running organization and the organizers of Canada’s most popular multi-day running event, The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. For more information, visit: https://www.runottawa.ca/
Media Contact:
Sam O’Neill, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
sam@canadarunningseries.com
