B.C. marathoner Cam Levins finishes historic 4th at world championships
And after nearly four frustrating years of disappointing finishes, dropouts, and the loss of his sponsor, Levins wrote a remarkable comeback story on Sunday, shattering his own Canadian record, racing to an historic fourth place in the marathon at the world track and field championships.The 33-year-old from Black Creek, B.C., ran two hours seven minutes nine seconds to crush the 2:09.25 he ran in Toronto in 2018. The previous top Canadian finish was 10th by Peter Maher in 1993.
“I really had an incredible buildup, like the last six months, I’ve trained really well, the hardest I have in every conceivable way,” added Levins, who won the Canadian half-marathon championships recently in Winnipeg. “When I got to the start line, I knew I was ready.” Levins hung in amid a large group at the front on the fast and flat course that featured plenty of scenic views. The 30-year-old Tola broke free over the final couple of kilometres.
“It can be hard for your family, someone like my wife, to keep supporting me even when I lost my contract and funding in general, so it’s been really amazing,” Levins said. “It’s been a tough last year. It’s also been a really rewarding last year as far as training goes. I couldn’t be more thankful for them.”