Rory Linkletter, a junior track scholar at Brigham Young University, witnessed Cam Levins break a 43-year-old Canadian marathon record at the Toronto Waterfront event in 2018. Despite initially excelling in the 10,000 meters and representing Canada internationally, Linkletter’s passion for the marathon persisted. Under the guidance of coach Ed Eyestone, a former Olympic marathoner, Linkletter made his marathon debut in Toronto after graduating with a degree in political science and communications.
Through experience and coaching adjustments, Linkletter has made significant progress in the marathon, clocking times of 2:08:01 to secure a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics and achieving a personal best of 2:07:02 in Boston this year. Now, at the upcoming Chicago Marathon, Linkletter aims to challenge Levins’ Canadian and North American record of 2:05:36.
Expressing his ambition to be recognized as one of Canada’s top runners, Linkletter emphasized his dedication to achieving this goal. His preparation for Chicago has been meticulous, surpassing his training regimen for the Boston Marathon. Linkletter described his Olympic debut in Paris as a humbling experience, finishing 47th, trailing Levins by 11 places.
Levins, eager to see Linkletter’s performance in Chicago, believes in healthy competition between Canadian marathoners. Their recent rivalry was evident when Linkletter bested Levins in the Canadian half marathon championship, signaling his determination to break records and elevate his status in the sport.
As Linkletter gears up for the Chicago Marathon, he anticipates facing challenges and pushing himself to compete at his peak. With the support of his friend Conner Mantz, who also aims to break a marathon record, Linkletter prepares to tackle the race with determination and ambition, aiming for a career-defining performance that could elevate him to a new level of achievement.
