Berlin wasn't the only city where quality marathon times were recorded Sunday.
In Toronto at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Kenya's Kenneth Mungara made race director Alan Brookes a happy man by successfully defending his title and breaking his own Canadian all-comers record with a solid 2:07:58 win. Mungara is now the only man ever to break two hours and eight minutes on Canadian soil. Kenya's Jafred Chirchir (2:08:10) and Daniel Rono (2:08:15) finished second and third, respectively.
Canadian Reid Coolsaet made a credible run Jerome Drayton's Canadian Marathon record (2:10:09), clocking a personal best 2:11:23 off of a 1:05:03 first half. Drayton's is nearly 35 years-old.
The results of the women's race were even more compelling. Kenya's Sharon Cherop narrowly defeated Ethiopia's Tsegaye Tirfi Beyene, 2:22:43 to 2:22:44. Not only did both athletes break the Canadian all-comers record and set personal bests, but they recorded the fifth and sixth fastest women's marathon times in the world this year. For Cheronp, it was her second marathon victory of the year (she also won at Hamburg last April). Ethiopian teenager Merima Mohammed clocked a fast 2:23:06 in third place, also a career best. Overall, seven women broke two hours and 29 minutes at the race.
The accompanying half-marathons were won in 1:03:25 and 1:18:07 by Ethiopian Dagim Yeshitela and Canadian Nicole Stevenson. Ten thousand, six hundred and ten athletes finished the marathon and half-marathon, combined.
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