Salome Nyirarukundo raises her arms in victory, as she crosses the finish line at the Montreal marathon on Sunday September 23, 2018. Courtesy Photo
Salome Nyirarukundo, a 20-year-old Rwandan set a new record as she won the 28th edition of the Montreal marathon on Sunday, September 23, in Canada.
Sixty-one countries were represented in the race, but in the end it was Rwanda’s Salome Nyirarukundo and Kenya’s Ezekiel Mutai who won Sunday’s event in record-breaking time, earning themselves $11,000 in prize money.
Fellow Kenyan Wycliffe Biwott finished 33 seconds behind and Jean Marie Vianney Uwajeneza of Rwanda completed the podium on the men’s side of the competition with a time of 2:18:10.
Rwanda’s Nyirarukundo was the women’s winner with a time of two hours, 28 minutes and two seconds, also a Montreal record. She also earns $11,000 (Rwf9.6m) with the victory.
She was joined on the podium by runner-up Joan Kigen of Kenya, three minutes and 24 seconds behind, and Emebet Anteneh of Ethiopia, who finished 2:43:24.
While Nyirarukundo is also a newbie when it comes to marathons, that didn’t stop her from setting a course record.
She said after the marathon, “It is my first time competing in the Canadian marathon and I am so happy for this achievement.”
In the half marathon, the winners were Alexis Lavoie-Gilbert of Quebec City (1:09:25), and Anne-Marie Comeau of St-Ferréol-les-neiges (1:14:46).
This year’s marathon marked the return of the elite runners’ category after an eight-year absence. About 11,000 people participated in the marathon overall. They included people from 13 to 82 years old, coming from 61 countries.
The new 42.2-kilometre route cut across Old Montreal, went along the Lachine Canal, and then along Robert-Bourassa Blvd. and Ste-Catherine St. toward the Plateau-Mont-Royal, and finally through the Botanical Garden before heading to the finish line.
On Saturday, Nicholas Berrouard (32:48) and Laura Pierce (37:46) were the winners in the 10-kilometre race, and Gary Guillaume (16:31) Jen Moroz (19:13) won the 5K.
28th edition of the Montreal marathon
Men
1. Ezekeil Mutai (Kenya)-2:11:05
2. Wycliffe Biwott (Kenya)-2:15:38
3. Jean Marie Vianney Uwajeneza (Rwanda)-2:18:10
Women
1. Salome Nyirarukundo (Rwanda)-2:28:02
2. Joan Kigen (Kenya)-2:31:26
3. Emebet Anteneh (Ethiopia)-2:43:24
