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OTTAWA, ON, May 11, 2023 - The two greatest Canadian male distance runners of all time will be going head-to-head at the Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa. Cam Levins, who was previously announced for the race, will now be joined by Olympic and World Championship medalist Mohammed Ahmed.
Ahmed, who trains in Eugene, Oregon with the Bowerman Track Club, is the Canadian record holder over the 10,000m and 5,000m distances. His 5,000m time of 12:47 is the 11th fastest of all time. The global running superstar also sports a pair of global medals including a silver from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and a bronze from the 2019 World Championships. Ahmed has also tasted success on Canadian soil before, notably with his win at the 2015 Pan Am Games over 10,000m.
Ahmed, 32, was born in Somalia before moving to Kenya as a refugee. When he was 11 years old, his family settled in St. Catherines, Ontario. Since, he has represented Canada at competitions across the world, including three Olympics (2012, 2016, 2020).
Ahmed will now face Levins for the first time since Levins began his illustrious marathon career, setting up a showdown between the fastest Canadian marathoner and half marathoner of all-time with the fastest Canadian 10,000m and 5,000m runner of all-time. It is safe to say, the current Canadian record of 28:11, held by the reigning Canadian 10K Champion - Ben Flanagan, will be in jeopardy in Ottawa.
Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend elite athlete coordinator, Dylan Wykes, is excited at the prospect, “We are excited to welcome Moh to the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. We always enjoy when the Canadian greats race on Canadian soil in front of home fans.” Wykes added, “We could be in for something really really special with the Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa.”
The Canadian 10K Championship are also excited to welcome back 2022 champion Natasha Wodak and 2021 champion Leslie Sexton. Full fields for the Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa, also host of the Canadian 10K Championships, can be found here.
Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada’s biggest race weekend and will run on May 27-28, 2023. You can learn more and register to run with Ahmed and Levins by visiting RunOttawa.ca.
About Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend
Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada's largest running and walking festival with six races, including the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon, Ottawa Half Marathon presented by Desjardins, Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa, Ottawa 5K & Ottawa 2K presented by Runkeeper, and Ottawa Kids Marathon, as well as three multi-event challenges. In 2022, runners and walkers in the event raised a record-breaking $1,067,612.00 for local and national charities through the Desjardins Charity Challenge. The 2023 edition of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend will take place May 27-28.
Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is the only running event in Canada to host a World Athletics Elite label marathon, and is host to Athletics Canada's Canadian 10K Championships. The weekend was named Event of the Year at the 2019 Canadian Tourism Awards, and in 2020, its title sponsor Tamarack Homes won Sport Tourism Canada’s Canadian Sport Event Sponsorship Initiative of the Year Award.
For more information or to register: RunOttawa.ca.
Photo (credit Victah Sailer)
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