An Okanagan athlete is on pace to compete in her third Olympics after qualifying on Sunday for the 2024 Paris Games.
At the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, Malindi Elmore placed 13th among women with a personal-best time.
The 43-year-old from Kelowna posted a time of 2 hours, 23 minutes and 30 seconds, three minutes below the Olympic qualifying time of 2:26:50.
Her previous best was 2:24:50. Elmore has previously competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics as a 1,500-metre runner, then in the 2020 Summer Olympics as a marathon runner.
At the 2004 Games, she finished 37th in the 1,500, but at the 2020 Games, she finished ninth in her new sport.
Regarding the 2024 Games, three spots are available once Athletics Canada nominates teams. Elmore will receive one of the spots provided no one outruns her by the qualifying window, which closes on April 30.
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On social media, fellow Canadian marathon runner Natasha Wodak of North Vancouver said, “A beautiful run indeed! 2:23:30 in Berlin for Malindi Elmore! 3:20 secs under the Olympic standard, and only 18 seconds of my Canadian record (Yes — she had me sweating at 2:30 a.m., when she was flying through the streets of Berlin on the tracker, lol). Congrats Malindi and coach Graham!”
Elmore retired from track in 2012, but returned seven years later to train as a marathon runner.
In January 2020, Elmore set the Canadian record at 2:24:50 in Houston, where she secured her spot on the Olympic team competing in Tokyo.
At the Berlin Marathon, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title by smashing the women’s marathon world record with a time of 2:11:53.
The previous record was 2:14:04, set at the 2019 Chicago Marathon by Kenya’s Brigid Kosegi.
Eight other women finished inside two hours and 20 minutes in Berlin. The second-place finisher, Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya finished at 2:17:49.
The men’s winner was Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya at 2:02:42.
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