Mikky Keetels, a rising marathoner and influencer, aims to challenge the defending champion Dayna Pidhoresky at the 2026 BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 3, 2026. This prestigious event will take place in Vancouver, BC, starting at Queen Elizabeth Park and finishing near the Vancouver Convention Centre.
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?
