Canadian marathoner Malindi Elmore has been hard at work since competing at her third Olympic Games in Paris this past August. On Monday. the 44-year-old revealed that she’ll be racing the 2024 Valencia Marathon, set to take place on Dec. 1.
Elmore will be one of 115 elite runners in the women’s field, tackling a course renowned as one of the fastest in the world. This will be her debut in Valencia, which she hopes will add to her history of strong performances on flat and speedy courses, including career-best times in Berlin and Houston.
Valencia comes just 16 weeks after Elmore’s gritty performance in the Paris Olympic Marathon, where she was the lone Canadian in the women’s field, placing 35th with a time of 2:31:08. Elmore described the course as one of the toughest she’s ever raced. “It was really hard–it was hard the whole time,” Elmore told Canadian Running. “Some people are built to run up hills, and sadly, I’m not.”
In addition to her Valencia marathon build, Elmore has spent her fall coaching the UBC Okanagan cross-country teams in her hometown of Kelowna, B.C. Under her leadership, Lauren McNeil earned the university’s first-ever U Sports cross-country title. Despite her busy schedule, Elmore credits her strategy of taking things day by day over the last few weeks of increased workload, and is feeling confident for a strong showing in Valencia.
Elmore will aim for her personal best of 2:23:30 from the 2023 Berlin Marathon. The time also stands as the entry standard for the women’s marathon at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Toyko. A time under 2:25:00 could also put her in a position for selection via the World Athletics points and rankings. The current Canadian women’s record is 2:23:12, held by Natasha Wodak, who won the Canadian Marathon Championships in Toronto last month.
After an Oct. 29 storm caused significant damage to the Valencia region, there were concerns about the 2024 Valencia Marathon even taking place. However, on Nov. 15 organizers confirmed that the event will proceed and that they will use the race as a fundraiser to rebuild local sports facilities and schools.
Elmore will be the lone Canadian in the women’s elite field. Quebec’s Benjamin Raymond and Marc-Antoine Senneville are two of more than 200 athletes in the men’s elite race. Both men are looking to improve on their personal bests of 2:19. Canadian record-holder Cam Levins was also originally entered, but has withdrawn due to injury.
The elite men’s field promises to be an exciting race, headlined by Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, the reigning champion, and the great Kenenisa Bekele, a three-time Olympic gold medallist. Kenyan athletes Sebastian Sawe, the world half-marathon champion, and Daniel Mateiko, a rising star with multiple sub-59-minute half-marathons, are set to make their marathon debuts.
On the women’s side, Ethiopian’s Amane Beriso, who clocked an astonishing 2:14:58 to win Valencia last year, returns alongside compatriots Megertu Alemu, Hiwot Gebrekidan and Tiruye Mesfin. They’ll be joined by Uganda’s Stella Chesang and American Sara Hall, both aiming to challenge their personal bests.
You can view the full elite field for the 2024 Valencia Marathon, here.
