Justin Kent (born 30 April 1992) is a Canadian

long-distance runner Long-distance running, or endurance running, is a form of continuous running over distances of at least . Physiologically, it is largely Aerobic exercise, aerobic in nature and requires stamina as well as mental strength. Within endurance ru ...

. In the marathon, he holds personal best of 2:12:17 and represented Canada at the

2023 World Athletics Championships The 2023 World Athletics Championships (), the nineteenth edition of the World Athletics Championships, were held from 19 to 27 August 2023 at the National Athletics Centre (Budapest), National Athletics Centre, in Budapest, Hungary. The tourna ...

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

Athletics career

After graduating from

Kwantlen Park Secondary School École Kwantlen Park Secondary School is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, and part of School District 36 Surrey. Kwantlen Park Secondary is named after the park beside which it is located. Approval was required from the ...

Surrey, British Columbia Surrey is a city in British Columbia, Canada. It is located south of the Fraser River on the Canada–United States border. It is a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver regional district and metropolitan area. Mainly a suburban city, Surr ...

, Kent enrolled at the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...

where he would compete for the

UBC Thunderbirds The UBC Thunderbirds are the athletic teams that represent the University of British Columbia. In Canadian intercollegiate competition, the Thunderbirds are the most successful athletic program both regionally in the Canada West Universities Athl ...

. As a Thunderbird, Kent specialized in the

3000 metres steeplechase The 3000 metres steeplechase or 3000-meter steeplechase (usually Abbreviation, abbreviated as ) is the most common distance for the steeplechase (athletics), steeplechase in track and field. It is an obstacle race over the distance of the 3000 met ...

, culminating in a NAIA title in 2014 and a bronze medal performance in 2015. In 2019, he represented Canada at the World Cross Country Championships in the mixed relay, finishing seventh as part of a team including Kevin Robertson,

Regan Yee Regan Yee (born 4 July 1995) is a Canadian athlete who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. She has represented Canada at the 2019, 2022, and 2023 World Athletics Championships as well as at the 2020 Summer Olympics. International comp ...

, and Erica Digby.

Marathon

The following year, he made his debut in the marathon, running 2:17:22 at the Marathon Project in

Chandler, Arizona Chandler is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and a suburb in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the List of municipalities in Arizona, fourth-most populous city in Arizona ...

. His next marathon came on December 5, 2021, where he finished just off his personal best, running 2:17:29. In 2022, improved upon that time, finished sixth at the Ottawa Marathon in 2:13:34. The following spring, Kent competed at the 2023 Prague Marathon, running a lifetime best of 2:13:07. These performances qualified Kent to compete in the marathon at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. At worlds, he ran much of the race alongside training partner and fellow Canadian Ben Preisner. Amidst humid conditions, he finished 29th in 2:15:26.

Competition record

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kent, Justin Living people 1992 births Canadian male long-distance runners Canadian male marathon runners UBC Thunderbirds men's track and field athletes 21st-century Canadian sportsmen