Antigonish runner named to Olympic squad

Four years ago, Eric Gillis got his first taste of the Olympics.
 
Now the marathoner from Antigonish is ready to put to use what he learned in 2008.
 
Gillis, who trains in Guelph, Ont., was officially nominated to the Canadian Olympic team on Thursday, joining Reid Coolsaet of Hamilton and Dylan Wykes of Kingston, Ont., on the squad.
 
All three posted times below Athletics Canada’s Olympic marathon standard of 2:11:29 before the qualifying deadline of April 22, meaning Canada will send three male marathoners to the Olympics for the first time since 1996.
 
Gillis, 32, represented Canada at the Beijing Games, finishing 33rd in the 10,000-metre race before making the switch to the marathon in 2009.
 
“Beijing prepared me for what to expect, now is my opportunity to put what I’ve learned into practice,” Gillis said Thursday in a release.
 
“I definitely feel like the marathon is my best event and offers me the best chance to excel on the world stage.”
 
Coolsaet and Gillis became the first two Canuck qualifiers at the Toronto Marathon last October, with Coolsaet running a 2:10:55 and Gillis sneaking in by the slimmest of margins with a time of 2:11:28.
 
But it was a long winter for the graduate of St. Francis Xavier University as a series of Canadian runners took their shot at the standard. Had two of them eclipsed his time, he would have been forced to make one last bid to record a better result, something that would have compromised any prospect for a decent showing in London on Aug. 12.
 
Only one did, though. Wykes ran a 2:10:47 in the Netherlands on April 15 to move atop the Canadian men’s rankings.
 
Gillis and swimmer David Sharpe of Halifax are the only Nova Scotians among 34 athletes officially nominated so far to the Olympic team.
 
But the Bluenose contingent for London continues to grow. Rower Tracy Cameron (Shubenacadie), sailor Danielle Dube (Glen Haven) and judoka Amy Cotton (Judique) all appear destined for the Canadian team.
 
Bridgewater runner Jenna Martin, gymnasts Hugh Smith of Dartmouth and Ellie Black of Halifax and at least a dozen more athletes in paddling, boxing, track and field and sailing have upcoming qualifiers.