The male and female winners of the BMO 麻豆传媒映画Marathon will have extra reason to smile Sunday. The cash prizes for the 44th annual race (both for the 42.2km full-distance and 21.1km half-distance races) have nearly doubled since last year.
The 2014 marathon prize was $3,500. This year it鈥檚 $6,000 for first, $2,500 for second and $1,500 for third. The fastest Canadians also receive a bonus of $1,500, up by a third over last year鈥檚 winnings.
In addition to these rewards, there is are two more incentive for racers. Any man who crosses the finish line under two hours, 18 minutes stands to earn an extra $2,000. The women鈥檚 benchmark is 2:37.
The second incentive is historical. Any man or woman who sets a course record will pocket $2,000. The fastest man鈥檚 time dates to 1980 when Australian runner Garry Henry burned through the course in 2:13:14. The women鈥檚 record of 2:35:50 was set by Argentinian Claudia Camargo in 2007.
If two runners meet the incentive time or set a course record, only the fastest person can claim the reward.
In total, a gold medal in the marathon could also mean a payday of $11,500.
