Hamilton's Reid Coolsaet crosses the finish line first in front of Kip Kangogo of Lethbridge, Alta., to win the inaugural Yonge Street 10K race on Sunday. VINCE TALOTTA/TORONTO STAR
It was a good day at the Toronto Yonge Street 10K for Olympic-bound marathoner Reid Coolsaet and St. Clements' own Tarah McKay-Korir.
Coolsaet squeaked out another win in the men's race with a time of 28: 36, finishing three-tenths of a second in front of Lethbridge’s Kip Kangogo. Last year, he won the Toronto race with a time of 28:08, narrowly beating Kangogo again and Guelph teammate Eric Gillis.
McKay-Korir followed up her win at Harry’s Spring Run Off Toronto 8K on April 7 with another big win in the women's - logging a person-best time of 32:07, the fastest on the course in five years. The 25 year old runner had the added thrill of breaking the fnish tape that was held by her husband, Boston Marathon winner Wesley Korir.
McKay-Korir, the former University of Louisville star, hopes to qualify for the Olympics in the 1,500 metre event this spring.
Coolsaet, meanwhile, was in a dogfight with Kangogo - surging to the win with a come-from-behind kick to take Kangogo by a step at the line. Kangogo had looked to have the race locked up with only 200 metres left to go.
“Kip just ran so tough, I had problems keeping up with him. Luckily enough I had just enough to get him. I wasn’t confident that I was going to get him," he said, after the race.
"Kip pulled away with about 400 metres to go and I somehow came back on him. I needed every single, last metre to beat him. If the finish line was 10m earlier, I’m not sure I would have got him."
Coolsaet will be back in Guelph for an announcement Thursday about Canada's three-man marathon team. Watch for that story and a profile on him and Speed River Track & Field teammate Gillis, this Saturday.
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