It was a busy weekend for two-time Canadian Olympian Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, who served as a race ambassador at the 2024 Beneva Montreal Marathon. Philibert-Thiboutot triumphed in the one-mile race on Friday, claimed victory at the Canadian 5K Championships on Saturday, and then paced hundreds of runners to personal bests in the half-marathon on Sunday.
When Philibert-Thiboutot took on the role of race ambassador two years ago, his goal was to increase the event’s popularity. “This year, the race added the Quebec Mile Championships and revived the Canadian 5K Championships, which amplified my involvement with the marathon,” says Philibert-Thiboutot. “Being a pacer in the half-marathon was always part of how I wanted to contribute as an ambassador.”
Philibert-Thiboutot won the inaugural Quebec Mile Championships in 4:08, finishing nine seconds ahead of runners-up Thomas Laviolette and Matthew Beaudet. He followed that victory with an impressive Canadian national 5K road title the next morning, clocking 14:14.
“As soon as we knew those events were on the schedule, I was excited to commit and make it the final race of my season,” Philibert-Thiboutot shared.
The 33-year-old middle-distance runner hopes that the inclusion of new events will attract more elite athletes to compete in Montreal next year.
At the Paris Olympics, Philibert-Thiboutot was one of six runners to reach the men’s 1,500m semi-finals through the repechage round. In the semis, he ran a season-best 3:33:29, placing 11th.
After an intense season, Philibert-Thiboutot now plans to take a well-deserved break before ramping up for the 2025 indoor season, with the World Indoor Championships in China on the horizon. “It’s been a long and intense few years, so I’m planning on taking a longer vacation than usual,” he says.
