FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Defending Champions Mary Keitany, Lelisa Desisa, Daniel Romanchuk and
Manuela Schär to Return to TCS New York City Marathon on November 3
U.S. Olympians Des Linden and Jared Ward to highlight star-studded American
contingent in open division that features numerous U.S. Olympic team
contenders
17-time Paralympic medalist and NYRR Team for Kids Ambassador Tatyana
McFadden to chase record sixth career title in professional wheelchair
division
New York, August 6, 2019 – All four defending champions – Kenya's Mary
Keitany, Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa, the United States' Daniel Romanchuk, and
Switzerland's Manuela Schär – will return to the TCS New York City Marathon
on Sunday, November 3. Keitany will go for her fifth career title in New
York, Schär will race for her third consecutive crown, and Desisa and
Romanchuk will look to post back-to-back victories.
The professional athlete field will include 11 former New York City
Marathon champions, 13 Olympians and 19 Paralympians, and 14 past Abbott
World Marathon Majors race champions.
This year's TCS New York City Marathon professional athlete field was
officially announced by a pair of Rising New York Road Runners Youth
Ambassadors in this special video, as NYRR marks 20 years of its free youth
running programs.
"We're thrilled to have all four of our defending champions return to the
TCS New York City Marathon and lead a world-class professional athlete
field through the streets of the five boroughs on November 3rd," said NYRR
president and CEO Michael Capiraso. "In addition to being incredible
athletes, Mary, Lelisa, Manuela, and Daniel are all inspirations for the
next generation of runners, including the 250,000 kids participating in
NYRR's free youth running programs."
Women's Open Division
In 2018, Keitany became the second woman to win in New York in the open
division four times, recording the second-fastest time in event history in
2:22:48. It was her fourth win in five years and she's the only woman other
than Grete Waitz to win the race four times. Keitany is the women-only
marathon world record-holder (2:17:01) and is a two-time winner of the
Abbott World Marathon Majors, having taken the series titles in 2012 and
2016.
Keitany will be challenged this year by 2019 Boston Marathon champion
Worknesh Degefa, 2019 Tokyo Marathon champion Ruti Aga, 2019 United
Airlines NYC Half champion Joyceline Jepkosgei, and 2018 Boston Marathon
champion and two-time U.S. Olympian Des Linden. Joining them at the
starting line will also be a strong group of U.S. 2020 Olympic team
contenders including Allie Kieffer, Sara Hall, and Kellyn Taylor.
Men's Open Division
Desisa won his first TCS New York City Marathon title last year after
finishing on the podium three times previously. He held off fellow
Ethiopian Shura Kitata by two seconds to finish in 2:05:59, the
second-fastest time in event history. Desisa also has two Boston Marathon
titles to his name, having won in 2013 and 2015.
Runner-up Kitata will be back again this year to challenge Desisa, as will
2017 TCS New York City Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor, who finished
third last year. The American contingent will be led by U.S. Olympians
Jared Ward and Abdi Abdirahman.
Men's Wheelchair Division
At just 20 years old, Romanchuk became the first American and youngest
athlete ever to win the men's wheelchair division at the TCS New York City
Marathon last year. He broke the tape in 1:36:21, with his win coming less
than a month after his first Abbott World Marathon Majors race victory in
Chicago. Since November, Romanchuk has gone on to win the Boston Marathon,
London Marathon, United Airlines NYC Half and break the world record in the
5000 meters on the track.
Lining up against Romanchuk this year will be Switzerland's two-time
champion Marcel Hug, South Africa's two-time champion Ernst van Dyk, and
Great Britain's former champion David Weir.
Women's Wheelchair Division
Schär is one of the world's most dominant athletes right now, having won
the last six Abbott World Marathon Majors races in a row, something no
other athlete has ever done. She will be coming to New York in search of
her third consecutive title on the five-borough course. Last year, she
became just the fourth women's wheelchair athlete to win back-to-back
titles, crossing the finish line in 1:50:27.
Schär will receive stiff competition this year from a trio of Americans:
17-time Paralympic medalist Tatyana McFadden, two-time champion Amanda
McGrory, and two-time NYRR New York Mini 10K champion Susannah Scaroni.
McFadden will be going for her record sixth title in the event.
Quotes from top professional athletes racing the 2019 TCS New York City
Marathon:
"New York has become a second home to me, and every year I circle the TCS
New York City Marathon on my calendar as a date to look forward to. I'm
very excited to return on November 3 to race for my fifth New York City
Marathon title on my favorite course in the world."
-Mary Keitany
"After finishing second and third before, I finally won my first TCS New
York City Marathon title last year and it was one of my proudest moments in
my life. I had been waiting for that day to come for some time. I'm looking
forward to defending my title this November and lining up against Shura
Kitata, who finished just two seconds behind me last year, and Geoffrey
Kamworor who won the race two years ago."
-Lelisa Desisa
"I can't wait to return to the TCS New York City Marathon to defend my
title this fall. Nothing can compare to racing through all five boroughs of
New York City. I grew up in the hills of Maryland, so I love starting on
the Verrazzano Bridge, and I'm sure it will be a tough battle all the way
to Central Park."
-Daniel Romanchuk
"The past few months of racing have been very special. I still have a hard
time to fully believe that I actually won all six Abbott World Marathon
Majors. I am very excited to return to New York. It is always a great
experience. The course is a very tough one, but the atmosphere in the city
on race day and out on the course is exceptional."
-Manuela Schär
"I'm thrilled to be returning to run the TCS New York City Marathon this
fall. The New York Road Runners always assemble a world class field, and I
look forward to racing the world's best through New York's five boroughs.
The championship-style race and the challenging course suit me well. I'm
already looking forward to race day."
-Des Linden
"There's a special feeling to New York any day of the year, but marathon
day is particularly special. I'm beyond excited to feel the energy again
this November. I look forward to building on last year's finish as I
continue to chase the dream of winning the TCS New York City Marathon."
-Jared Ward
Top Professional Women – Open Division
NAME PERSONAL BEST TWITTER INSTAGRAM
Ruti Aga, ETH 2:18:34 ruti_aga
Meseret Ali, ETH 2:40:41
Jennifer Bigham, USA 2:41:37 jenbigham localelite
Molly Bookmyer, USA 2:44:07 mollybookie
Worknesh Degefa, ETH 2:17:41
Nicole DiMercurio, USA 2:36:03 nicoledimerc nicoledimerc
Buze Diriba, ETH 2:28:06
Sinead Diver, AUS 2:24:11 diversinead diversinead
Belaynesh Fikadu, ETH 2:26:41
Megan Foster, USA 2:43:44 fostermeg megrunsalot
Bose Gemeda, ETH 2:39:15
Bizuwork Getahun, ETH 2:36:29
Sasha Gollish, CAN 2:32:54 SGollishRuns sgollishruns
Kaitlin Goodman, USA 2:32:08 runnerKG runnerkg
Alia Gray, USA 2:34:00 aliatgray aliagray
Roberta Groner, USA 2:29:09 Marathongirl245 bad_boys104
Sara Hall, USA 2:26:20 SaraHall3 sarahall3
Yinli He, CHN 2:27:35
Danna Herrick, USA 2:32:19 dkherrick danna.k.herrick
Joyciline Jepkosgei, KEN N/A
Katy Jermann, USA 2:33:41 MoenEmDown katyjermann
Ana Johnson, USA 2:43:11
Mary Keitany, KEN 2:17:01 KeitanyMary marykeitany
Allie Kieffer, USA 2:28:12 AllieKieffer kiefferallie
Nancy Kiprop, KEN 2:22:12
Kate Landau, USA 2:33:29 katelandau
Desiree Linden, USA 2:22:28 des_linden des_linden
Margo Malone, USA 2:42:22 margo_malone margo_malone
Mary Ngugi, KEN 2:28:33 maryw_ngugi maryngugi
Diane Nukuri, USA 2:27:50 DDNakuri dianenukuri
Ellie Pashley, AUS 2:26:21 Elokane ellieopash
Paula Pridgen, USA 2:41:29 paula_pridgen paula_pridgen
Lindsey Scherf, USA 2:32:19 LindseyScherf lindseyscherf
Gerda Steyn, RSA 2:31:04 gerdarun gerdarun
Kellyn Taylor, USA 2:24:29 kellyn_taylor kellyn_taylor
Top Professional Men – Open Division
NAME PERSONAL BEST TWITTER INSTAGRAM
Abdi Abdirahman, USA 2:08:56 abdi_runs abdiruns
Collin Bennie, USA N/A colin_bennie
Michel Butter, NED 2:09:58 MichelButter michel_butter
Mizael Carrera, PUR 2:19:29 MizCarrera mizCarrera
Kiya Dandena, USA 2:12:56 Kiya_Dandena run_kiya
Birhanu Dare, ETH 2:12:21
Lelisa Desisa, ETH 2:04:45 lelisadesisa
Arne Gabius, GER 2:08:33 arnegabius arne_running
Mo Hrezi, LBA 2:18:40 Mo_Hrezi mhrezi
Tyler Jermann, USA 2:13:39 TylerJermann tylerJermann
Jamie Julia, PUR 2:20:17
Geoffrey Kamworor, KEN 2:06:12 Gkamworor geoffreykamworor
Shura Kitata, ETH 2:04:49 ShuraKitata
Jarrett LeBlanc, USA 2:13:51 JarrettLeBlanc1 jarrettleBlanc08
Craig Leon, USA 2:13:40 cleonrun cleonrun
Albert Korir, KEN 2:08:03
Jorge Maravilla, USA 2:21:57 1jorgemaravilla 1jorgemaravilla
Brendan Martin, USA 2:15:30 bmar89 bmartin28
Tyler McCandless, USA 2:12:28 TrackTy trackty
Matt McClintock, USA 2:18:03 Matt_McClintock runmattrun11
Connor McMillan, USA 2:23:28
Daniel Mesfun, ERI 2:10:06
Mustafa Mohamed, SWE 2:12:28 MustafaMusse79 mustafamohamed79
Harbert Okuti, UGA 2:13:01 HarbertOkuti
Tyler Pennel, USA 2:13:32 TylerPennel tylerpennel
Yassine Rachik, ITA 2:08:05 rachik.yassine
John Raneri, USA N/A raneri.john
Brett Robinson, AUS 2:10:55 brett_robinson23
Jack Rayner, AUS 2:11:06 jackrayner7
Stephen Sambu, KEN 2:11:07 Sksambu sksambu
Louis Serafini, USA 2:17:25 LouisSerafini louserafini1
Yoshiki Takenouchi, JPN 2:10:01 runsti777
Tamirat Tola, ETH 2:04:06 tami_tola
Andy Vernon, GBR N/A AndyVernonGB andy_vernon
Joe Whelan, USA 2:13:39 jpwhelan23
Jared Ward, USA 2:09:25 jwardy20 jwardy21
Tadesse Yae, ETH 2:11:50
Top Professional Men – Wheelchair Division
NAME PERSONAL BEST TWITTER INSTAGRAM
Rafael Botello, ESP 1:22:09 rafabotello79 rafabotello79
Josh George, USA 1:21:47 jsgeorge jsgeorge
Brett Gravatt, USA 1:35:05 Brett.gravatt
Marcel Hug, SUI 1:18:04 marcelerichug swisssilverbullet
Jordi Madera Jimenez, ESP 1:22:10 maderajordi
Gyu Dae Kim, KOR 1:27:16 gdkim34
Patrick Monahan, IRL 1:22:23 PaMonahan1986
Aaron Pike, USA 1:20:59 Pikester86 aaronlevipike
Daniel Romanchuk, USA 1:21:36 daniel.romanchuk
Francisco Sanclemente, COL 1:32:57 FranciscoSancle franciscosancle
Brian Siemann, USA 1:26:46 bsiemann bsiemann
Johnboy Smith, GBR 1:29:44 johnboytweet Johnboy_smith
Ernst Van Dyk, RSA 1:18:04 ErnstvanDyk ernstvandyk
David Weir, GBR 1:26:17 davidweir2012 Davidweir2012
Top Professional Women – Wheelchair Division
NAME PERSONAL BEST TWITTER INSTAGRAM
Christie Dawes, AUS 1:37:12
Katrina Gerhard, USA 1:40:34 katrinagerhard
Tatyana McFadden, USA 1:31:30 TatyanaMcFadden tatyanamcfaddenusa
Amanda McGrory, USA 1:33:13 alittlechipped alittlechipped
Susannah Scaroni, USA 1:30:42 KenyanScaroni suscaroni
Manuela Schär, SUI 1:28:17 manuelaschaer
Margriet Van Den Broek, NED 1:38:33 margrietvdbroek margrietvdbroek
Shelly Woods, GBR 1:37:44 Shellywoods86
The 2019 TCS New York City Marathon will be televised live on Sunday,
November 3, on WABC-TV, Channel 7 in the New York tristate area, throughout
the rest of the nation on ESPN2, and around the world through various
international broadcasters.
About the TCS New York City Marathon
The TCS New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world and the
signature event of New York Road Runners (NYRR), the world's premier
community running organization. The race is held annually on the first
Sunday of November and includes over 50,000 runners, from the world's top
professional athletes to runners of all ages and abilities, including over
9,000 charity runners. Participants from over 125 countries tour the
diverse neighborhoods of New York City's five boroughs—Staten Island,
Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. Race morning also features the
Rising New York Road Runners Youth Invitational at the TCS New York City
Marathon, a race within Central Park that ends at the marathon finish line.
More than one million spectators and 10,000 volunteers line the city's
streets in support of the runners, while millions more watch the globally
televised broadcast. The race is a founding member of the Abbott World
Marathon Majors, which features the world's top marathons—Tokyo, Boston,
London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a
leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions
organization, is the premier partner of NYRR and the title sponsor of the
TCS New York City Marathon. The 49th running of the TCS New York City
Marathon is set for November 3, 2019. To learn more, visit
www.tcsnycmarathon.org.
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