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TORONTO -- Reid Coolsaet and Eric Gillis are London bound. Nike Free OG 2014 Damen . The Canadian duo booked their tickets to the 2012 Summer Games after bettering the Olympic standard of two hours 11 minutes 29 seconds Sunday at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Coolsaet finished third in the race with a personal-best time of 2:10.55 while Gillis was fourth, just finishing under the qualification mark with a time of 2:11.28. Canada hasnt had a participant in an Olympic marathon since Bruce Deacon in Sydney in 2000. "I cant believe it was by a second," Gillis said afterwards. "A marathon and one second? "I couldve just as easily been one second over. I feel really, really lucky to get that standard. I couldnt have done it this time last year, I just wasnt in the right frame of mind to go after that. Things are working out well now, things are clicking." Coolsaet posted his time despite having to take a washroom break at about the 25-kilometre mark. "It didnt take too much time but obviously I lost contact with the front pack," he said. "Luckily I had a pacer and clawed my way up the next three kilometres and got myself up with that front pack again." Kenyas Kenneth Mungara won the race for the fourth straight year, posting a time of 2:09.51. Ethiopias Shami Abdulahi Dawit was second. "This was a very good day for me but it was very tough because it was very windy and cold," Mungara said. Ethiopias Koren Yal was the top female finisher in 2:22.43, with compatriot Mare Dibaba second in 2:23.25. Vancouvers Katherine Moore was eighth in 2:48.48. Meanwhile, police said a 27-year-old man died after collapsing while running in the event. He was taken to St. Michaels Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Coolsaet narrowly missed the Canadian record en route to finishing third. The 32-year-old from Hamiltons time was just off the mark of 2:10.09 set by Jerome Drayton in 1975. Draytons 36-year-old record is the oldest on the Canadian track and field record books. "Im really happy to have run a PB in these conditions," Coolsaet said. "I was fortunate enough to have a good pack that I was able to use to block the wind and that really helped me for the first 35-36 kilometres and then I lost it. "I didnt think I was running fast anymore and was just happy to be in third overall at that point. Then I came around the corner and saw the clock and was pleasantly surprised to have run a PB." Gillis said achieving the Olympic standard was foremost in his mind Sunday, but admitted the cool, blustery conditions created doubt in his pre-race thoughts. "Yeah, there were so I had to work on those and get them out as soon as they came in," said Gillis, of Antigonish, N.S. "I kept pushing them out. "I had roomed with Reid the last couple of days and hes a real positive guy to be around and always looks to the bright side ... it wasnt an ideal anything out there and its just a good feeling to get that under my belt." Gillis said despite the weather conditions, he felt very good physically through the first 34 kilometres of the race and was on pace to qualify for London comfortably. But that all changed near the end. "With 300 metres to go, I wasnt sure," he said. "I just knew I had to put my head down and get up on my toes as much as I could. "I saw 27 (2:11.27) when I went under the clock but I dont trust that clock at all and I waited to hear the official time. It took about 10-15 minutes before anyone was able to say it definitively and that was a nice feeling when I did finally hear that." Coolsaet said also having Reid qualify for London will prove beneficial to both runners. "Just the fact that now we can work together for the same marathon again is a huge benefit for both of us," he said. "It works both ways and were really excited to be able to focus on London from here on in." Nike Roshe Run Damen Sale .J. -- The New York Giants are not only back in the playoff hunt with a four-game winning streak, theyre calling the plays that get them those wins. Nike Free Flyknit 5.0 Herren . -- Michael Bennett gambled last off-season that playing on a one-year deal in Seattle would pay off in the future with the long-term contract he always wanted.The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed RHP Jim Hoey off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and have outrighted C Brian Jeroloman and RHP Drew Carpenter to Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League. The 28-year-old Hoey appeared in 26 games for the Twins last season, posting a 1-2 record with a 5.47 ERA. Hee also appeared in 33 games for the Rochester Red Wings of the International League, posting a 1-3 record with nine saves and a 3. Nike Roshe Run Flyknit Schweiz. 83 ERA. The Trenton, New Jersey native has a career record of 4-7 with a 7.02 ERA in 61 games over three seasons with Baltimore (2006-07) and Minnesota. wholesale nfl jerseys cheap jerseys from china ' ' ' |
