While a representative from Kenya won the men’s race on Sunday at the Montreal Beneva Marathon, it was a future engineer, a resident of Sherbrooke, who took the honours among the women.
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Franco-Manitoban Mélanie Desautels was also on her second triumph at the Montreal event, after also winning in 2022. Since then, the 32-year-old athlete, after returning to school, has had time to finish her courses at the University of Sherbrooke and is now a candidate for the engineering profession at the firm CIMA+. Just that.
“I work two-thirds [de la durée normale d’un plein temps] to allow me to train,” humbly explained the woman who has lived in Quebec for 11 years now.
Mélanie Desautels poses proudly with the trophy awarded to the winner.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/QMI AGENCY
Her mother Gisèle had also made the trip from Winnipeg to attend Sunday’s race, where Mélanie completed the 42.2 kilometre distance in 2 hours 46 minutes and 16 seconds.
“I expected to do a lot better than that, I was aiming to beat my personal record of 2:42, but I still did better than in 2022 on this same course,” commented the winner, visibly demanding of herself. The weather was nice, better than expected, but there was still a lot of headwind on the second half of the course, which made the task more difficult. It’s part of the hazards of road racing.”
A modified objective
At the finish line, Desautels beat Janie Grand’Maison (2:48.22) while Catherine Paul finished third.
“All records can be broken, but a medal, a podium, no one can take that away from you,” noted the double champion of the Montreal Marathon. “My goal changed during Sunday’s race. I focused on getting on the podium rather than aiming for the time. So I’m very satisfied, despite everything, with how it went.”
In the men’s race, Philemon Kibet Kiptanui won in 2 hours 15 minutes and 9 seconds, ahead of Hadout Mousaab, representing Morocco, and John Langat, who was racing for Belgium.
Philemon Kibet Kiptanui crossed the finish line first on Sunday, September 22, 2024, at the Beneva Montreal Marathon.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/QMI AGENCY
To each his own hero
Beyond the winners, it was fantastic to see all these runners gathered together aiming to surpass themselves. And everywhere, for the arrival at Maisonneuve Park, friends, girlfriends, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children and grandchildren to welcome their own hero of the day.
Before Sunday’s event, it was Quebecer Charles Philibert-Thiboutot who, in addition to his role as ambassador for the event, stood out in a great way.
Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, winner of the Quebec Mile Championship, Friday, September 20, 2024, in Montreal.
MARTIN ALARIE / MONTREAL JOURNAL
After winning the Quebec Mile Championship on Friday night, he won the 5 km event with an excellent time of 14 min 14 s, thus being crowned Canadian champion in this distance, ahead of Ontarian Tristan Woodfine (14:25) and young Quebecer Thomas Laviolette (14:26). Also noteworthy is the victory of Quebecer Lucie Desrosiers in the women’s 10 km.
