Canada's Linkletter narrowly close to winning his 1st-ever marathon, placing 2nd in Ottawa

The Ottawa Marathon nearly went according to plan for Rory Linkletter.

The Calgary-born runner, who wanted his first-ever victory in the distance to occur on home soil, finished second on Sunday morning in two hours eight minutes 31 seconds.

Linkletter charged late in the 42.2-kilometre event and could see the back of leader Albert Korir over the final metres before reaching the finish nine seconds behind the Kenyan, who broke the tape in 2:08:22 and also won the 2019 Ottawa race.

Korir, who missed the Boston Marathon a month ago with an ankle injury, was third (2:08:00) in the New York City Marathon last November, while Linkletter was nearly four minutes behind him in 15th.

The 28-year-old Linkletter went 2:07:02 for sixth in Boston, a 59-second personal best and fastest time by a Canadian at the event. He also ran 2:08:01 on Feb. 18, 2024 to automatically qualify for the Paris Olympics.

Linkletter was 47th in his Summer Games debut last summer, a race that fuelled his determination to become the best marathoner he can be by the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Linkletter will try to lower the Canadian record in the fall rather than compete at the Sept. 13-21 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Cam Levins of Black Creek, B.C., holds that title after running a North American record 2:05:36 in the 2023 Tokyo Marathon.

Linkletter's next race will be a half marathon at the Aug. 17 Edmonton Marathon, where he's "excited" to perform in front of family.

Tristan Woodfine of Cobden, Ont. near Ottawa, was seventh on Sunday in 2:13:21 while fellow Canadians Blair Morgan (2:19:36) and Arnaud Francioni (2:23:07) were ninth and 10th.

Mercy Chelangat of Kenya won the women's marathon in 2:23:33, with Anne Marie Comeau of