MEDIA RELEASE – Olympians to contest the St Patrick’s Day 5K
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(Vancouver, BC – March 11, 2025) Five kilometers is the sweet spot in distance running, that brings together track, road and cross-country specialists; middle-distance to marathon specialists; and an opportunity for the emerging talent of high school and university athletes to test their mettle against Olympians. All will be competing at the St Patrick’s Day 5K presented by BMO in Vancouver’s Stanley Park on Saturday, March 15.
The race also serves as the 2025 BC Athletics 5K Road Running Championship, and is the second race in the Lower Mainland Road Race Series.
Last year 75 athletes broke 17 minutes at the St Patrick’s Day 5K, making this Canada’s premier 5K race. This year’s race should be no less competitive, while also being a memorable experience for runners of all abilities.
2023 and 2024 Champion Glynis Sim returns, but she’ll need a time close to last year’s 15:37 to complete a hat-trick of victories. That may be tough to do for Canada’s top finisher at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships, as Saturday will be her first race since winning last years Vancouver Sun Run.
Two Paris Olympians stand in her way. Toronto’s Jazz Shulka narrowly missed advancing to the 800m semi-finals. And Kelowna’s Malindi Elmore, a 3-time Olympian, finished 35th in the marathon. A third Olympian, Tokyo 3,000m Steeplechaser Alycia Butterworth, would likely favour her chances more if there were barriers to hurdle.
2019 Champion and course record holder (15:29) Sarah Inglis, who represented Scotland at 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, is another returning to competition, but is not yet close to her best after becoming a mother last fall.
Not to be overlooked for the win is Lauren McNeil. The British half marathon international, now running under Malindi Elmore’s tutelage while completing her Masters at UBC Okanagan, won the USports Cross Country Championship in dominant fashion last fall.
Last years 4th place, and NACAC 1,500m bronze medallist, UBC’s Holly MacGillivary, will also look to advance to the podium this year. So too Canadian international Ally Ginther.
The men’s field may not have the same national team credentials as the women, but an equally close contest is anticipated, especially in the absence of last years champion and course record holder (14:04) John Gay.
2023 Champion Thomas Broatch returns. Broatch finished 3rd last year in 14:25. The 2023 Canadian Marathon Champion recently improved his marathon PB to 2:10:35 in Houston, the 7th best Canadian all-time.
Canadian U20 Cross Country Champion, Yemane Mulugeta, is improving rapidly, with a track 5,000m best of 14:21. The Trinity Western University rookie placed 6th over 3,000m last weekend at the USports Indoor Championships, and won the season opening Steveston Icebreaker 8K.
Broatch’s Vancouver Thunderbirds teammates, Christian Gravel (4th last year) and Chris Taylor, will also be podium challengers, together with UBC’s Jaiveer Tiwana (5th last year).
The race will also give opportunity for the top competitors from the BC High School Cross Country Championships to test themselves in open competition. Senior Boys AAA podium finishers, Charli Mlotshwa, Arjun Sandhu and Maverik Rahkola, will compete alongside Senior Boys AA champion Peter Kunka, and Junior Boys champion Isaiah Johnston.
At the other end of the spectrum, Elmore and 4-minute miler Ryan Hayden are the likely favourites to win Organika prize packs as the top masters. But Canadian Masters Cross Country Champions, Robyn Poulin and Ron Loewen, can’t be ruled out.
In addition to the prizing for the top-10 overall, $150 is up for grabs courtesy of RunGo for the first male and female through the mile, provided they continue and finish within 1 minute of the race winner. And Saucony will pay $250 if either of the course records are broken.
While the serious athletes may have fast times as their goal, many more will come dressed in green, and will enjoy the Irish stew, fill their souvenir beer glass, and dance a jig or two at the post-race party. Proceeds from the event benefit Diabetes Canada, with more than $125,000 donated since the first race in 2006.
The race starts at 9:30am on Pipeline Drive, and circles around Park Drive via Brockton Point, before finishing back up Pipeline to the Stanley Park Pavilion.
For more information contact:
Steve Mattina – Race Organizer