FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brian Carmichael
617-663-4748
2013 Boston Marathon - Updated Elite Field List
John Hancock has updated its Field List for the John Hancock Elite Athlete
Team. Additions to the elite field include Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene, Lelisa
Desisa Benti, and Laban Korir.
-Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene set a course record in Paris last year before
finishing runner-up in Berlin in a personal best 2:21:19. This past
January, she won the Dubai Marathon and has finished on the podium in ten
career marathons.
-Lelisa Desisa Benti made his marathon debut in Dubai this year and won
the race in 2:04:45. A young talent, Benti won the 10,000m at the African
Junior Athletics Championships in 2009 and won the gold medal in the half
marathon at the All-Africa Games in 2011.
-Laban Korir was runner-up in Amsterdam in 2011, finishing in 2:06:05.
He ran the Boston Marathon last year and placed sixth.
Cancellations in the women's field include Asefelech Mergia Medessa and
Karolina Jarzynska due to lack of fitness.
Cancellations in the men's field include Moses Mosop, Ryan Hall, Shami
Dawit, Eric Gillis and Lucas Rotich due to injury. Mosop sustained a calf
injury that has prevented necessary speed-work preparation. Hall missed
crucial training due to a quadriceps strain.
MEN Personal Best Time Country
Lelisa Desisa Benti 2:04:45 (Dubai, 2013) Ethiopia
Gebregziabher Gebremariam 2:04:53 (Boston, 2011) Ethiopia
Markos Geneti 2:04:54 (Dubai, 2012) Ethiopia
Levy Matebo 2:05:16 (Frankfurt, 2011) Kenya
Dickson Chumba 2:05:46 (Eindhoven, 2012) CR Kenya
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot 2:05:52 (Boston, 2010) Kenya
Laban Korir 2:06:05 (Amsterdam, 2011) Kenya
Wesley Korir 2:06:13 (Chicago, 2012) Kenya
Raji Assefa 2:06:24 (Paris, 2012) Ethiopia
Abdihakem 'Abdi' Abdirahman 2:08:56 (Chicago, 2006) USA
Mebrahtom 'Meb' Keflezighi 2:09:08 (Houston, 2012) USA
Jeffrey Hunt 2:11:00 (Beppu, 2010) Australia
Jason Hartmann 2:11:06 (Chicago, 2010) USA
Fernando Cabada 2:11:53 (Houston, 2012) USA
Guor Maker (formerly Marial) 2:12:55 (San Diego, 2012) NR USA/South Sudan
Robin Watson 2:13:37 (Rotterdam, 2012) Canada
Micah Kogo Debut Kenya
WOMEN
Meseret Hailu Debele 2:21:09 (Amsterdam, 2012) CR Ethiopia
Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene 2:21:19 (Berlin, 2012) Ethiopia
Mamitu Daska 2:21:59 (Frankfurt, 2011) Ethiopia
Rita Jeptoo 2:22:04 (Chicago, 2012) Kenya
Sharon Cherop 2:22:39 (Dubai, 2012) Kenya
Madai Pérez 2:22:59 (Chicago, 2006) NR Mexico
Alemitu Abera Begna 2:23:14 (Houston, 2012) CR Ethiopia
Tetiana Gamera-Shmyrko 2:23:58 (Osaka, 2013) Ukraine
Kara Goucher 2:24:52 (Boston, 2011) USA
Shalane Flanagan 2:25:38 (OT Houston, 2012) CR USA
Ana Dulce Félix 2:25:40 (NYC, 2011) Portugal
Yolanda Caballero 2:26:17 (Boston, 2011) Colombia
Sabrina Mockenhaupt 2:26:21 (Berlin, 2010) Germany
Diana Chepkemoi Sigei 2:26:53 (Dubai, 2011) Kenya
Serena Burla 2:28:27 (Seoul, 2012) USA
Stephanie Rothstein-Bruce 2:29:35 (Houston, 2011) USA
René Kalmer 2:29:50 (Yokohama, 2011) RSA
Diane Nukuri-Johnson 2:30:13 (London, 2012) NR Burundi
Alissa McKaig 2:31:56 (Houston, 2012) USA
NR=National Record CR=Course Record
About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial
John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife Financial, a leading
Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia,
Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and
Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, the Company
offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth
management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and
distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its
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Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE,
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Internet at manulife.com.
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administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance,
annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care
insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance.
Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com
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