Gillis calls unfinished worlds marathon ‘disappointing,’ but not ‘heartbreaking’
LONDON — It’s been almost a week since Canada’s Eric Gillis doggedly ran for 30 kilometres before dropping out with a stomach bug that would become one of the biggest stories of the world track and field championships.
The 37-year-old is back home in Antigonish, N.S., where his wife is expecting their third child within a couple of weeks.
Gillis pulled out three-quarters into last Sunday’s 42.195-kilometre marathon with the viral gastroenteritis that would eventually wallop nine Canadian athletes and staff, including decathlete Damian Warner, and another 30-plus athletes staying at the same central London hotel.
“It was not heartbreaking, but it was very disappointing,” Gillis said. “And it was very different from Rio for sure, Everything went right with Rio.”