Linkletter runs to 1st Canadian title, beating 3-time defending champ Levins in half marathon

Rory Linkletter took Cam Levins's Canadian half marathon crown, and now he's aiming for his national record in the marathon.

The Calgary-born Linkletter edged Levins of Black Creek, B.C., at the line on Sunday in Edmonton, collecting his first-ever Canadian title with a one-hour three-minute half marathon.

Levins, the national record holder in the distance who had prevailed at each of the previous three national half marathon championships in Winnipeg, finished one second behind. Ben Preisner of Milton, Ont., reaching the finish in 1:03:15.

"[The] sprint finish was electric," Linkletter told Canadian Running of Sunday's race. "I knew Cam was gonna fight tooth and nail for it, and he delivered a lot of punches over the final 2 [kilometres] to test me.

"It felt like a great fight and I'm proud to have won this one. It means more winning against good competition."

Linkletter, who now lives in Flagstaff, Ariz., hadn't raced Levins since last Aug. 10 in the Olympic marathon in Paris, where Levins placed 36th (2:11:56), 11 spots ahead of Linkletter (2:13:09).

That race fuelled his determination to become the best marathoner he can be by the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.Next for Linkletter is targeting Levins's 2:05:36 Canadian mark at the Oct. 12 Chicago Marathon rather than compete at the Sept. 13-21 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Linkletter narrowly missed his first Canadian title May 25, finishing second to Albert Korir of Kenya in the Ottawa Marathon.

A month earlier, 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 that put him second on the Canadian all-time list.

Linkletter began his Boston build running two races at the 21.1 km