On Sunday, the first marathon major of the fall season saw a record-breaking number of finishers. More than 54,000 runners completed the 2024 Berlin Marathon, where Ethiopian athletes Tigist Ketema and Milkesa Mengesha claimed their first Berlin Marathon titles. Ketema, 26, secured her second major marathon victory of the year with a time of 2:16:42, while Mengesha, 24, won the men’s race in 2:03:17—one of the fastest times in the world this year.
The impressive performances didn’t stop there, as many Canadian runners set personal bests on Berlin’s famously fast and flat course. Here’s a look at how the top Canadians performed.
With no Canadian elites lining up, the top finishers came from the mass participation field. Toronto’s Brian Putre and Carolyn Buchanan led the way for Canada. Putre finished 346th overall, with a time of 2:31:44, while Buchanan cracked the top 40 in the women’s field, placing 39th in 2:39:38—shaving 89 seconds off her previous personal best.
Buchanan, 29, a former Queen’s University field hockey player now living and training in San Francisco, broke the 2:40 barrier for the first time in her career.
Top 10 Canadian men
Brian Putre 2:31:44 (366th OA)
Bryan Rusche 2:32:13 (393th) – 12th in M45-49 age group
Dominic Royer 2:33:47 (475th)
Neal Parker 2:34:18 (514th)
Daniel Lennington 2:34:32 (528th)
Chris Hooper 2:35:06 (559th)
Keith Johnstone 2:36:14 (527th)
Chris van de Water 2:36:28 (641st)
Luiz Melendez 2:36:56 (687th)
Connor Hammond 2:39:15 (956th)
Top 10 Canadian women
Carolyn Buchanan 2:39:38 (39th Female) – 15th in W30-34 age group
Julie Lajeunesse 2:46:29 (69th) – 7th in W40-44 age group
Kim Bennett 2:47:53 (86th)
Alannah MacLean 2:48:32 (93rd)
Nadine Robinson 2:50:15 (117th)
Jenny Bulk 2:51:23 (133rd) – 6th in W45-49 age group
Gabriella Lo 2:53:07 (154th)
Alanna McRae 2:53:09 (156th)
Camille Maltais-Bilodeau 2:55:19 (208th)
Rebecca Pieterson 2:55:23 (212th)
Top Canadian age groupers *
Ercole Guidi 4:07:38 (4th in W75)
Jill Stevenson 3:35:53 (5th in W70)
Jenny Bulk 2:51:23 (6th in W45)
Julie Lajeunesse 2:46:39 (7th in W40)
Kevin Smith 2:42:56 (8th in M55)
Linda Eng 3:22:32 (8th in W60)
Bryan Rusche 3:32:13 (12th in M45)
Carolyn Buchanan 2:39:38 (15th in W55)
Rosie van Aspert 3:55:44 (15th in W65)
(*We recognize those who placed in the top 15 in their age group.)
You can head here to check out the full 2024 Berlin Marathon results.
