Runners hit the streets for Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend
Hundreds of young runners hit the pavement for a 2-kilometre run on Saturday, kicking off the 2023 edition of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.
"I like running; it gives me more energy," said 9-year-old Lydia Abraham.
Her sister Abigail is also a fan of the sport, especially when it’s next to their mother, Tigest Tilahun.
"Every Sunday, we do the Grasshopper Club from April to January. We do a family run every Sunday," Tilahun said.
A family fun run may be a weekly routine for the family who live in Orleans. But this weekend they turned it up a notch, running along the iconic streets of downtown Ottawa.
"It’s a great opportunity to run. It’s available in our city, it’s a great day. That’s why we’re running,” said Abraham Melesse.
Ottawa Race Weekend draws nearly 30,000 runners, taking them through the streets of Ottawa and Gatineau.
"It’s a nice race! The organization and the place where we pass is really nice. We run beside the Rideau Canal and the river,” said Alejandro Sandoval, who is visiting from Montreal. He has run the full marathon three times in previous years, and this year he’s running the half-marathon.
Saturday’s runs included the Kids Marathon, the 5k and 10k races. All eyes were also on 96-year-old Rejeanne Fairhead. She set a new world record for the fastest 5k time in the women’s 95+ category, with a time of 51:09.
The annual event is also a massive fundraiser for charities. This year, Ottawa Race Weekend's fundraising campaign is expected to surpass $1.5 million.
10K WINNERS
Moh Ahmed of St. Catharines, Ont. and Natasha Wodak, of North Vancouver, B.C. took the top spots in the men's and women's 10K races, resepctively.
Moh Ahmed, left, and Natasha Wodak, right, pose after winning the Canadian 10K Championships at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. May 27, 2023. (Photo credit: Victah Sailer)
Ahmed finished with a time of 28:21. He was neck-and-neck with Black Creek, B.C.'s Cam Levins, but managed to pull ahead for the final stretch. Levins finished second with a time of 28:39. Jeremy Coughler, of London, Ont., took third place at 29:31.
Wodak finished with a time of 32:51. Her first place finish marks her third Canadian Championship victory in a row. Leslie Sexton, also of Vancouver, finished second with a time of 33:13. Montreal's Caroline Pomerleau clocked in at 33:16 for third place.
The heat posed a challenge for many runners, organizers said. When the 10K race began, it was already 28 C in Ottawa.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.