Caroline Pomerleau put her hand over her mouth and was wide-eyed being told what she accomplished in her marathon debut.

The Quebec City native claimed the womenB次元官网网址檚 Canadian marathon title, while Thomas Broatch, also making his marathon debut, captured the national menB次元官网网址檚 crown at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Sunday.

After crossing the finish line, Pomerleau didnB次元官网网址檛 realize she had won the title until she was informed by an official while being handed a Canadian flag to pose for photos with.

B次元官网网址淚 cannot believe what happened,B次元官网网址� she said with the flag draped over her shoulders. B次元官网网址淚 never ran a marathon, only half-marathons, so I (thought) the distance was going to be a big challenge for me, so IB次元官网网址檓 just going to take it easy.B次元官网网址�

Pomerleau crossed the finish line in two hours 34 minutes 44 seconds to finish 10th overall on a windy fall morning. EthiopiaB次元官网网址檚 Buze Diriba was the overall winner at 2:23:11.

PomerleauB次元官网网址檚 goal was to run between 2:35 and 2:40 and was more focused on her time than where she finished.

B次元官网网址淭he plan was to check how I feel about the first five (kilometres). If it was too difficult, slow down,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚f it was easy, keep the pace B次元官网网址� it was easy, I stuck to that and I did it until the end.B次元官网网址�

Anne-Marie Comeau (2:34:51) of Saint-Ferr茅ol-les-Neiges, Que., was the second Canadian, placing 11th overall. Comeau ran her first marathon in 2019 and hadnB次元官网网址檛 run one since, setting a personal best on Sunday.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 better for me, not skiing, because I can full-time train as a runner,B次元官网网址� said Comeau, who competed for Canada in cross-country skiing at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. B次元官网网址淚 knew if I was doing under 2:35, I would be happy.B次元官网网址�

Dayna Pidhoresky (2:35:50) of Tecumseh, Ont., who competed in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, finished 12th overall as the third Canadian.

The 36-year-old Pidhoresky said she dealt with muscle spasms in her legs during the race but didnB次元官网网址檛 want to drop out.

Having also dealt with a shin issue a month out from SundayB次元官网网址檚 event and having to adjust her training to being on the bike for the most part, she knew she had to reassess her goal of hitting the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:26:50.

B次元官网网址淛ust tried to stay engaged and tried to get to the finish line, itB次元官网网址檚 the Canadian championship, I canB次元官网网址檛 just drop out,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a huge mental battle just to get to the start line,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淚 gained so much confidence from doing a lot of running and workouts and I felt like I didnB次元官网网址檛 have that but I was still trying to give myself the opportunity to just see.B次元官网网址�

But Pidhoresky B次元官网网址� the Canadian champion in 2019 and winner of the Vancouver Marathon in May B次元官网网址� acknowledged that although it wonB次元官网网址檛 be easy to hit the qualifying standard for next yearB次元官网网址檚 Paris Olympics, she feels she came out tougher from SundayB次元官网网址檚 race.

The deadline for marathon Olympic qualification is April 30, two months earlier than the majority of athletics events.

VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Broatch claimed the menB次元官网网址檚 national title at 2:16:25, finishing sixth overall. KenyaB次元官网网址檚 Elvis Cheboi was the overall winner at 2:09:20.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really stoked to be a national champion, that was my goal going into this race,B次元官网网址� Broatch said. B次元官网网址淪uper happy to achieve that, and also IB次元官网网址檝e run a pretty good time.B次元官网网址�

Broatch said his legs felt B次元官网网址渇riedB次元官网网址� with about seven or eight kilometres left in the race but pushed through thanks to a number of factors.

B次元官网网址淭he crowd was incredible, I was told thereB次元官网网址檇 be a lot of good energy and I think that definitely helped me push,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎lso just thinking about all that training and all the work IB次元官网网址檝e put in going into this.

B次元官网网址淢y parents were watching too from Victoria, wanted them to see a good race.B次元官网网址�

Benjamin Raymond (2:20:15) of Laval, Que., finished as the second Canadian and eighth overall, while Sergio Villanueva (2:20:48) of Mississauga, Ont., placed ninth overall as the third Canadian.

About 23,800 runners participated in the 5K, half-marathon and marathon. The 42.195-kilometre marathon course first stretched west and then east along the lakeshore, with the start and finish line being in front of Toronto City Hall.