Leonard Langat wins second straight Toronto Waterfront Marathon title
Kenya’s Leonard Langat defended his title at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, finishing in 2:06:51. Leah Jeruto won the women’s race in 2:21:19, marking her first marathon victory. Andrew Davies set a record for the fastest Canadian marathon debut at 2:08:48, while Dayna Pidhoresky secured the women’s national title in 2:26:02.
Photo: Toronto Waterfront Marathon
Kenya’s Leonard Langat successfully defended his TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon title on Sunday, winning the men’s race in 2:06:51, while compatriot Leah Jeruto claimed her first career marathon victory with a decisive late surge in the women’s event.
The Kenyan double highlighted a competitive morning on Toronto’s streets, which also produced a historic Canadian performance. Andrew Davies ran 2:08:48 in his marathon debut, the fastest debut time ever recorded by a Canadian, while Dayna Pidhoresky captured the women’s Canadian Marathon Championship in a personal-best 2:26:02.
Langat became the first runner to win consecutive Toronto Waterfront Marathon titles since Philemon Rono accomplished the feat in 2017. His victory came after a closely contested men’s race that remained open well beyond the halfway point.
Leonard Langat takes control in the final kilometres
The men’s competition featured a tightly packed lead group for much of the race. At the 30-kilometre mark, 10 runners remained together on a pace that projected a finishing time of approximately 2:07.
That group began to break apart as the pacemakers withdrew and the runners approached 35 kilometres. Langat made his move shortly afterward, increasing the tempo and forcing his closest challengers to respond. Noah Kipkemboi, another Kenyan with previous podium finishes in Toronto, initially followed the defending champion’s acceleration.
However, Langat gradually established a gap that proved decisive. He crossed the finish line in 2:06:51, becoming the only competitor in the men’s field to finish under two hours and seven minutes. The performance also earned him a $5,000 time bonus.
Although Langat did not improve on his personal best of 2:05:26, established earlier this year, his finishing time was enough to secure another Toronto title.
Fanny Kiprotich finished second in 2:07:21, suffering the first defeat of his marathon career in just his third race over the distance. Kipkemboi completed the podium in 2:07:25, four seconds behind Kiprotich. The men’s course record of 2:05:00, set by Rono in 2019, remained intact.
Leah Jeruto delivers breakthrough victory in Toronto
The women’s race followed a different pattern, with several contenders remaining in contention until the final 12 kilometres. Seven athletes were still challenging near the 30-kilometre mark before the leading group began to separate.
Ethiopia’s Ayinadis Teshome, Maritu Ketema and Nigsti Haftu were among those setting the pace, while Jeruto remained close enough to respond. The decisive change came around 35 kilometres.
Jeruto accelerated past her rivals and established a lead that the Ethiopian runners were unable to overcome. Her finishing time of 2:21:19 represented a substantial improvement on her previous marathon performances, having never previously broken 2:24.
It was also her first victory at the marathon distance. Haftu produced a strong finish but could not close the gap, taking second place in 2:21:34, just 15 seconds behind Jeruto.
Teshome finished third in 2:22:51 after entering the race with ambitions of challenging the course record. Jeruto’s victory ended a run of three consecutive women’s titles won by Ethiopian athletes at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The women’s course record remains 2:20:44, held by Waganesh Mekasha.
Andrew Davies makes Canadian marathon history
Beyond the international victories, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon delivered significant results for Canadian distance running.
Andrew Davies finished ninth overall in the men’s race with a time of 2:08:48, establishing the fastest marathon debut in Canadian history. His performance also secured the Canadian Marathon Championship, making him the highest-finishing Canadian man in the field.
John Gay was the next Canadian across the line, finishing 10th overall in 2:13:01.
In the women’s competition, Dayna Pidhoresky finished eighth overall in 2:26:02, recording a personal best while winning the national marathon title. Florence Caron also placed inside the women’s top 10, finishing in 2:29:37.
The Canadian results added another dimension to a race already marked by strong international performances, particularly among the leading Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes.
Toronto Waterfront Marathon produces another competitive edition
The 2026 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon concluded with Kenyan winners in both elite races, a successful men’s title defence and a breakthrough performance in the women’s competition.
Langat’s second consecutive victory placed him alongside Rono among the event’s repeat champions, while Jeruto’s late acceleration delivered the first marathon win of her career.
The race also produced two Canadian national champions, including Davies’ historic debut and Pidhoresky’s personal-best performance.
Although neither course record fell, the results reinforced the Toronto Waterfront Marathon’s position as an important event for international competitors and Canadian athletes competing over 42.195 kilometres.
