It was a successful marathon debut for Kitchener, Ont.’s Ben Flanagan on Sunday morning at the 2025 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Flanagan was the first Canadian man to cross the finish line, in 2:15:41, achieving his goal of winning the Canadian national title in his first time running the distance.
The 30-year-old held off two more experienced marathoners in Toronto’s Andrew Alexander and Phil Parrot-Migas to break the tape in Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square. Flanagan told Canadian Running he was happy to get the win, despite making some mistakes with pacing and fuelling.
“I felt really good until 35km, then my body started to crumble,” says Flanagan. “The energy was amazing, and it kept me going, especially when it really got hard.”
Parrot-Migas ran 2:17:16 to cross the line for second, and Alexander, who grew up just minutes away from the Toronto Waterfront Marathon course, finished third, in 2:18:16.
Flanagan’s decision to move up to the marathon came after he represented Canada in the men’s 5,000m at the 2024 Paris Olympics Games. “I was really happy with my track career and knew it was time for that next step,” Flanagan said in a pre-race interview. “I want to be a world-class marathoner by [Los Angeles] 2028, and give myself a shot to make the Olympic team.”
After the Olympics, Flanagan went through several life changes, including becoming a father and adjusting to a new coaching setup under American marathon coach Jon Green, who also coaches Canadian marathoner Rory Linkletter.
Rachel Hannah wins first Canadian marathon title
Rachel Hannah of Port Elgin, Ont., has made five trips to Toronto in the last decade to compete for the Canadian women’s title at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, and on Sunday she finally had her moment. The 39-year-old was the first Canadian woman to cross the finish line with a time of 2:33:48.
Hannah said winning this Canadian marathon title has been a dream of hers since she started. “I knew today would be about mindset, so I kept telling myself to stay as positive as possible,” Hannah told Canadian Running. Her winning time was her fastest since 2016.
Calgary’s Makenna Fitzgerald was the second Canadian woman across the line, in 2:38:59. Toronto’s Brittany Moran rounded out the podium for third in 2:42:46, in her first marathon since having a baby in 2023.
For full results from the 2025 Toronto Waterfront Marathon, see here.
