Two Kelowna runners will compete for a chance at the podium in Tokyo Friday

Photo: Twitter

Jerome Blake and Malindi Elmore have a chance to add to Kelowna's, and Canada's medal tally Friday at the Tokyo Olympics.

Jerome Blake takes to the track at Tokyo Olympic Stadium in the final of the men's 4x100 metre relay.

Blake ran the second leg of the relay in the heats, helping Canada to a season-best time of 37.92 seconds.

The team qualified second in their heat and third overall behind Jamaica and China.

The race was Blake's Olympic debut.

While he is going for a first ever medal in the final, Andre De Grasse, who runs the anchor leg, is seeking a third medal at these games and sixth overall.

The race is set for 6:50 a.m. Pacific Time Friday.

Nearly 900 kilometres to the north in Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido, the Canadian marathon and racewalking teams have been preparing for their events away from the glare and spotlight of Tokyo.

Kelowna's Malindi Elmore is part of that group, preparing for the women's marathon through the streets of Sapporo at 3 p.m. Pacific Time Friday afternoon.

Elmore is the Canadian record holder in the event.

“I’m really excited to represent masters athletes and to represent women in sport who have families and who have careers and are still able to perform at a high level," she said on Twitter earlier this week.

"There’s no best before date and I think that age is a bit of a social construct.”

Elmore's teammate Dayna Pidhoresky will also compete despite being in isolation the last two weeks.

Pidhoresky was placed in 14-day isolation at a hotel after someone on her flight to Japan tested positive for COVID-19.

She has only been able to do light training over that time.

Kelowna-born Taylor Ruck won a pair of bronze medals in swimming relays earlier in the games.