The stakes are high for both athletes. Keetels comes off an impressive eighth-place finish at the NN Marathon Rotterdam with a time of 2:30:42. Meanwhile, Pidhoresky is not just the defending champion; she set a course record of 2:29:03 at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2023.

Key facts about the marathon:

• The full marathon covers a distance of 42.2 kilometers.
• In addition to the full marathon, there will be a half marathon, an 8 km race, and a kids run.
• TransLink plans to add extra bus, SkyTrain, and SeaBus services due to expected road closures on May 2 and May 3.

Keetels has also made headlines off the track. Since her first marathon in 2019, she has raised over €100,000 for KiKA—demonstrating her commitment to charity running. As she puts it, “What began as a one-time challenge quickly turned into something much bigger.”

Yet, with new competitors like Rita Jelagat—who boasts a personal best of 2:32:19—the race promises excitement. The question remains: can Keetels overcome Pidhoresky’s formidable record and claim victory?

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