Toronto Marathon team selection

Following performance at the Virgin London Marathon and England Championships last month the following team of six athletes have been selected to represent England at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in October.

Women

Tish Jones (Club: Belgrave) who took 2 ½ minutes of her previous best to run 2:33.56 in London will be joined by Anna Boniface (Club: Reading AC, Coach: Rob McKim). Boniface also smashed her PB in London by an astonishing 7 minutes to run 2:37:07 and will be making her international debut in Toronto.

Men

The Men’s team mixes experience with first time internationals. Jonathan Poole (Club: Serpentine RC), Lee Grantham (Club: East Cheshire Harriers) and Ben Johnson (Club: Southport Waterloo AC) all finished within 15 seconds of each other at London and having achieved the England athletics development standard, will make up the men’s team alongside US-based Keith Gerrard (Club: Newham & Essex Beagles, Coach: Art Acevedo). Gerrard who has represented England on the cross-country on a number of occasions will make his debut on the road in an England vest, alongside Johnson and Grantham.

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon which is an IAAF Gold Label event will offer the competing athletes an excellent development experience in terms of preparing for an international marathon across the Atlantic.

Road Running Coordinator Charlotte Fisher said, "This is a great opportunity for the marathon runners. The event is superbly well organized and the elite athletes are well looked after by our Canadian hosts. Last year’s team took a great deal from their international experience in Toronto and I’m sure this year’s team will find the opportunity equally valuable in their future development.