Rory Linkletter

Biography

Rory Linkletter qualified to make his Olympic debut at Paris 2024 after setting a personal best time of 2:08:01 at the Seville Marathon in February 2024. That made him the second fastest Canadian marathoner ever, behind only national record holder Cameron Levins. It was his first time breaking the 2:10 mark.

Linkletter competed in his first marathon in October 2019, debuting at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon just a couple months after he represented Team Canada in the 10,000m at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, where he finished sixth. He competed in the marathon at the 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships, finishing inside the top 20 both times. He broke into the top-10 at the 2022 Toronto Waterfront Marathon, finishing seventh.

For a time, Linkletter was the Canadian record holder in the half marathon after running 1:01:08 in Houston in January 2022. That mark was later broken by Levins.

Linkletter first represented Canada internationally at the 2015 World Cross Country Championships, competing in the U20 race. He competed in the senior race at the World Cross Country Championships in 2017 and 2019.  

Linkletter competed collegiately for Brigham Young University where he was a six-time All-American. As a sophomore in 2017, he placed second in the 10,000m at the NCAA Championships.

A Little More About Rory

Getting into the Sport: Started running cross country in grade 9 after a friend dragged him to a summer workout… Felt that he had a future in running when he ran his first 5000m race in 13:52 when he was 19 years old… Outside Interests: Graduated from Brigham Young University in 2019 with a major in political science and minor in communications… Enjoys golfing, watching sports, binge-watching TV shows… Works as an online coach for other runners; would like to become a coach at the NCAA level… Odds and Ends: Favourite motto: “Clear Eyes. Full Heart. Can’t Lose” – Friday Night Lights… Collects coffee beans from his travels… Inspired by American Olympians Jared Ward and Aliphine Tuliamuk, who showed him what hard work and self-belief could lead to…