MarathonGuide.com Logo - Marathon Directory, Marathons, Marathon Results, News and More Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor facebook icon  twitter icon
Site Map
 
   Marathon Press Releases
Press Releases Home
New York City Marathon: Information & Reviews | News |
 

Press Release - New York City Marathon - 9/23/09

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

        Gharib, Makau, Kwambai Added to Lineup of World's Best 
                   at ING New York City Marathon

Christelle Daunay, Martin Fagan, Tatyana Petrova, and Yuri Kano will also 
compete in 40th running on November 1

New York, September 23, 2009—A lineup of the some of the world's best 
long-distance runners, including 2008 Olympic marathon silver medalist and 
two-time World Marathon champion Jaouad Gharib of Morocco, two-time IAAF 
World Half-Marathon Championships silver medalist Patrick Makau of Kenya, 
and third-fastest marathoner in history James Kwambai of Kenya join one of 
the strongest fields in race history at the ING New York City Marathon 2009 
on Sunday, November 1, it was announced today by New York Road Runners 
president and CEO and race director Mary Wittenberg.

The stature of New York as consistently boasting the most global 
professional field in the sport was confirmed with the additional 
announcements of Christelle Daunay of France, Martin Fagan of Ireland, 
Tatyana Petrova of Russia, and Yuri Kano of Japan.

"The world has always come to New York to run, and this year the field 
again includes title contenders from a host of countries," said Wittenberg. 
"Jaouad, Patrick, and James add a dazzling combination of speed and 
experience to the race. It is also a delight to have France's best woman, 
Christelle, a major coup to have Japan's Yuri, and one of Russia's 
strongest women competitors, Tatyana."

The only man to ever win two World Championships marathon titles, Gharib, 
37, will be competing in his second ING New York City Marathon. He joins a 
men's field that already features two-time winner and defending champion 
Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil, 2004 champion Hendrick Ramaala of 
South Africa, 2005 champion Paul Tergat, and two-time champion Martin Lel, 
both of Kenya. U.S. Olympians Ryan Hall and Brian Sell also have been 
previously announced.

Gharib holds the Moroccan records for the half-marathon and marathon, 
having finished third at the London Marathon earlier this year in a 
Moroccan record time of 2 hour, 5 minutes, and 27 seconds.  

Makau, 24, is a half-marathon specialist who won four consecutive major 
half-marathons in 2008 and ran the second-fastest half-marathon ever 
(58:52) at Ras Al Khaimah. He made his marathon debut at the Fortis 
Rotterdam Marathon this past spring, finishing fourth in a time of 2:06:14. 

Kwambai, 26, finished second earlier this year to Duncan Kibet by less than 
one second at the Rotterdam Marathon in a time of 2:04:27, the 
third-fastest ever. In 2008, Kwambai finished second in the Berlin Marathon 
in 2:05:36, the seventh-fastest marathon time—the same race in which Haile 
Gebrselassie set a marathon world record. 

Daunay, 34, set the French marathon record, 2:28:24, at Osaka in 2008. She 
placed 20th in the 2008 Olympic Games marathon in 2:31:48. Earlier this 
year, Daunay she set a personal record of 2:25:43 in Paris. 

Fagan, 26, is an Irish Olympian who has had a standout year. He won the 
Austin Half-Marathon in Texas in January before breaking John Treacy's 
long-standing Irish half-marathon record by finishing fifth in 1:00:57 at 
the Fortis City-Pier-City Half-Marathon in The Hague. Currently training in 
Flagstaff, AZ, Fagan will make his ING New York City Marathon debut. 

Petrova, 26, is a known specialist in the 3000-meter steeplechase who won 
double silver medals in the 2006 European Athletes Championships and the 
2007 World Championships in Osaka. Earlier this year, she won the Dubai 
Marathon in 2:25:53 in her debut at the distance.

Kano, 30, is one of Japan's strongest competitors; she finished seventh 
this year at the World Championships marathon in Berlin in a time of 
2:26:57. Her marathon best is 2:24:27.

Athletes will be vying for a total guaranteed prize purse of $800,000, the 
largest in race history. In celebration of the 40th running of the New York 
City Marathon, a new champion's bonus of $70,000 will be awarded to any 
past champion who wins this year, bringing a former champion's first-place 
prize this year to $200,000.

                            ###


 

Some Ads

Become an Advertiser

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Become an Advertiser



All material Copyright ©2000-2024 MarathonGuide.com LLC (MarathonGuide.com). All rights Reserved.
Please Contact Us for more information.

MarathonGuide.com makes no representations as to the accuracy of information on this site or its suitability for any use. | privacy policy | refund policy