Brandon McBride is skipping the Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru next week
Windsor's Brandon McBride says it would be an honour to return to the Olympics — but the 800-metre runner is taking a different path to Tokyo in 2020.
McBride tells CTV Windsor he's skipping the Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru next week, but does plan to run in a couple of Diamond League races later this month.
The 25-year-old has posted three of his top five career best races in the 800-meters, entering his second year under coach Kurt Downes at Border City Athletic Club.
Year one saw the Herman graduate break a 10-year-old Canadian record in Monaco; a feat that helped earn Downs, Athletics Canada coach of the year.
McBride says skipping the Pan Am Games is the right move for his long term development.
"We had a talk and just moving forward we thought it would be best if we just forgo going to Pan-Am's and focus on the rest of the season," he says.