Canadian record 'quite a challenge' for runner Philibert-Thiboutot in Zürich after illness

Charles Philibert-Thiboutot was hoping to take a serious run at reclaiming his Canadian record in the 3,000 metres Thursday in Zürich, though he isn't certain his body will co-operate.

After taking a mental break for a week following the Olympic men's 1,500-metre semifinals on Aug. 4 in Paris, the Quebec City runner battled bronchitis for two weeks and has only been able to properly train for the past week or so.

On Aug. 25, Moh Ahmed lowered the national mark in the 3,000 to seven minutes 31.96 seconds at the Silesia Diamond League meet in Chorzow, Poland.

Forty-nine days earlier, Philibert-Thiboutot went 7:35.73 at the Meeting de Paris to take the record from Kieran Lumb.

"I've been feeling better the last week or so but not nearly as sharp or race-ready as I was in Paris," Philibert-Thiboutot told CBC Sports in a text message from Switzerland.

"I do think there is some fitness left [from the Olympics] and I want to give my absolute best effort [Thursday] but the time Moh posted makes going for the [Canadian] record quite a challenge after [being sick]."

WATCH | Ahmed 6th over 3,000m in Canadian record time in Poland:

The 33-year-old from Quebec City enters Thursday's Weltklasse Zürich Diamond League meet fresh off a 3:54.47 effort in his second mile race since the Olympics. In between, he went 3:39.92 in a 1,500 in Tampere, Finland, over six seconds slower than his 3:33.29 personal best in the Olympic semifinals.

Philibert-Thiboutot watched Ahmed battle to a sixth-place finish in Poland, saying the 5,000m/10,000m specialist ran smart and finished strong in a race won by Paris Olympic champion Jacob Ingebrigtsen of Norway in a world record 7:17.55.

"The 3,000 metres is the perfect middle ground for us to meet and