SMK Mustang Ezra Selvarajah defends 5K title at 3rd Annual Schomberg Mug Run

September 24, 2026 · 0 Comments

More than 160 participants competed in the 3rd Annual Schomberg Mug Run in cool mid-September conditions on Saturday afternoon.

Defending champ Ezra Selvarajah captured the Men’s side of the competition—crossing the Fairgrounds finish line with the best overall time of 18:42:82. The Grade 9 student at St. Maximilian Kolbe CHS in Aurora described the factors that enabled him to defend his Mug Run title: “Having faith in God—and lots of running. My mom, Emina, and my dad, Sujan, drive me to all my practices and meets, and pay for my shoes, too.”

The appreciative fourteen-year-old was pleased with his performance at the 2026 Mug Run 5K race, but has set his sights on the upcoming YRAA Cross Country season as well as the Spring Track and Field season during which he’ll compete as a SMK Mustang.

“My goal is to run Cross Country at Max this year, train over the Winter with the Newmarket Huskies Track Club, and run high school track in the Spring—most likely the 800-meter and 1500-meter races. I like to run the 800-meter race most of all.”

Second place finisher Alex James crossed the finish line at 19:13:54, edging bronze medalist Zachary Brown (19:16:85) by three seconds.

King-Vaughan MP Anna Roberts presented podium finishers in both 5K divisions with championship belts and a bouquet of flowers. The medal winners displayed their spoils of victory from the podium much to the delight of those assembled in the Beer Garden.

Meredith Risk captured the Women’s division—completing the scenic 5K route in 21:29:70 and finishing sixth overall. Jocelyn Van Halteren (24:24:08) finished second in the division and placed 18th overall. Elisa Gorniak (24:58:03) came in third in the division and placed 20th overall of the 160 competitors who trotted across the terrain on a cool Saturday afternoon.

The event opened with Max Marshall’s muscular electric guitar version of “O Canada”–quite in keeping with the “Elbows Up” zeitgeist. Event organizer Ryan Raymond strode to the start line at the north end of the Fairgrounds. Microphone in hand, the President of SURGE Activewear impelled the intrepid group onward to take on the arduous, hilly 5K course through Schomberg.

Upon delivering the go signal to the 160 runners, Raymond—who also serves as the President of the King Chamber of Commerce—jumped aboard an ATV at the north Fairground gates and joined event staff supervising the race route.

Back at the rustic Fairgrounds, live music was presented by Marshall who summarized the Mug Run succinctly as “a perfect event featuring great food, great music, centred around a great sporting event with tolerable weather.”

The weather was tolerable, indeed, with the unseasonably cool temperatures ideal for a 5K race. The fresh air was filled with the aroma of smash burgers being grilled by the local Lions Club which blended nicely with Marshall’s songs to imbue the venerable corral and post-race beer garden with a late summer festival vibe.

The $17 Lions Club Smash Burger combo included a delectable double burger smothered in cheese and all the fixings, a bag of chips, and in keeping with the spirit of the festival, I enjoyed an obligatory can of MUG Root Beer to cap off the culinary experience at a picnic table while the winners of the divisional races were being determined.

Proceeds from the 5K event were donated to the King Township Food Bank.

By Jim Stewart