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Lead Stories: Friday, November 21, 2008

Chicago Marathon 2008: Women’s Elite Field

Posted October 12th, 2008 at 7:43 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Berhane Adere (ETH) - 2:20:42
Bezunesh Bekele (ETH) - 2:23:09
Alevtina Biktimirova (RUS) - 2:25:12
Desiree Davila (USA) - 2:37:50
Colleen De Reuck (USA) - 2:26:35
Zoila Gomez (USA) - 2:33:53
Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS) -2:25:10
Kate O’Neill (USA) - 2:36:15
Adriana Pirtea (ROU) - 2:28:52
Kiyoko Shimahara (JPN) - 2:26:14
Worknesh Tola (ETH) - 2:25:37
Constantina Tomescu-Dita (ROU) - 2:21:30

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Chicago Marathon 2008: Men’s Elite Field

Posted October 12th, 2008 at 7:30 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Moses Arusei (KEN) - 2:06:50
Timothy Cherigat (KEN) - 2:09:34
Joseph Chirlee (KEN) - 2:12:10
Christopher Cheboiboch (KEN) - 2:08:17
Evans Cheruiyot (KEN) - 2:09:16
Arata Fujiwara (JPN) -2:08:40
James Getanda (KEN) - 2:11:50
Salim Kipsang (KEN) - 2:07:29
William Kipsang (KEN) - 2:05:49
Richard Limo (KEN) - 2:06:45
David Mandago (KEN) - 2:07:23
Emmanuel Mutai (KEN) - 2:06:15
Daniel Njenga (KEN) - 2:06:16
Michael Reneau (USA) - 2:17:46
Todd Snyder (USA) - 2:21:00

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Prokopcuka, Grigoryeva Headline Elite Women’s Field at 2008 Boston Marathon

Posted February 13th, 2008 at 11:32 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Marathons

jelena prokopcuka and Lidiya Grigoryeva at 2007 boston marathon In its 23rd year as the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon, John Hancock Financial announced their team of top women contenders for the 112th running of the race on April 21. Defending Boston Champion Lidiya Grigoryeva is set to compete against 2006 winner Rita Jeptoo, two-time runner-up Jelena Prokopcuka and a new generation of international talent.

The blend of athletes with experience on the course and those new to the challenges of the hilly Hopkinton to Boston route should lead to a highly competitive race. Collectively the group has won 18 international marathons in the past three years and the top nine contenders have less than a three-minute differential in their personal best times. In addition, the athletes will be vying for a top Boston showing to secure a position on their country’s Olympic teams.
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Oita and Tokyo Marathons Announce Elite Fields

Posted January 22nd, 2008 at 10:35 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

daniel njenga tokyo marathon Next month’s Beppu-Oita Mainichi and Tokyo International Marathons have released their elite fields. Included in the elite fields set to compete at the Tokyo Marathon is reigning champion Daniel Njenga of Kenya [Pictured]. Although Njenga is a native Kenya, he lives and trains in Japan for most of the year.

BEPPU-OITA (03-Feb):

Invited International:
Elijah Mutai (KEN) 2:09:27 PB (2005 Chunchon)
Mark Yatich (KEN) 2:09:52 (2003 Los Angeles)
Ruggero Pertile (ITA) 2:10:12 (2004 Roma)
Rachid Kisri (MAR) 2:10:36 (2006 Treviso)
Scott Wescott (AUS) 2:11:36 (2005 Beppu-Oita)
Asheber Girma (ETH) 2:16:39 (2007 Addis Ababa)
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Elite Fields Announced For Boston Half-Marathon

Posted October 1st, 2007 at 10:15 AM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Marathons

For the seventh consecutive October thousands of runners will be racing through the streets of Boston and Brookline in the B.A.A. Half Marathon presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. The race is scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 7 at Roberto Clemente Field in Boston’s Back Bay Fens neighborhood. The route will take runners out to the Franklin Park Zoo, and back again, along Boston’s Emerald Necklace park system. Leading the pack will be a field of elite men and women, competing for a total prize purse of $30,000.

Defending champion Samuel Ndereba (KEN), 30, headlines a men’s field that will be chasing Luke Metto’s 3-year-old course record of 1:02:57. After placing second here in 2005, Ndereba seized control of the 2006 B.A.A. Half Marathon at the 11-mile mark. He crossed the finish line in 1:03:03, tying the fourth fastest time ever run on the course, and falling just short of a new course record. Ndereba made his marathon debut in Boston this past spring, placing ninth in 2:17:04. With that time, he and his sister, four-time Boston Marathon champion and former world-record holder (2:18:47) Catherine, set a unique record: they now own the fastest combined brother/sister marathon time in history at 4:35:51.

Celedonio Rodriguez (Alamosa, CO), 26, the man who beat Ndereba two years ago, and placed fifth last year, will be looking to regain the top spot. Rodriguez took the entire elite field by surprise in 2005, seizing the lead in the first mile and never looking back en route to a 12-second win.

Challenging the two past champions will be Richard Kiplagat (KEN), 26, runner-up in 2006. In his half marathon debut, Kiplagat was the only man who could keep pace with Ndereba. He ultimately finished just 12 seconds back, in 1:03:15, the seventh fastest time ever run on the course. Joining these B.A.A. Half Marathon veterans will be Tom Nyariki (KEN), 36, who boasts a 5,000m best of 12:55.94, won the 2006 New York City Half Marathon with a time of 1:01:22.

Edna Kiplagat (KEN), 28, one of the year’s hottest road racers, headlines the women’s field. Kiplagat comes to Boston for the first time having already captured three major road racing titles in 2007, winning the Lilac Bloomsday 12K, Bay to Breakers 12K, and Bolder Boulder 10K earlier this year. Though she’s a relative newcomer to the half marathon distance, Kiplagat already owns a personal best of 1:09:32.
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A comparison of performances by American marathoners: 1980 vs. 2005

Posted April 21st, 2007 at 3:29 PM by Jim Fortner

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to TheFinalSprint.com. Make sure to also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.

In 1999 I posted two essays titled “The Decline of American Marathoners” & “Why Have They Declined?” on Runner’s World and Merv Competitive forums, which I subsequently updated in 2001.

They generated extensive discussions concerning the deterioration in performance of American marathoners throughout the 1990’s, as compared to the 1970-80’s.

The decline at the elite level was well documented by official records. Not only were U.S. elites no longer competitive on the international racing scene, but they could not even match the performances of their predecessors a decade or two earlier.
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Boston Marathon releases elite uniform colors for top athletes

Posted April 11th, 2007 at 11:15 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Rita Jeptoo Elite Uniform Boston Marathon 2007 The Boston Marathon released the unique uniform colors which will be worn by the top athletes, accompanied by some quotes.

Defending champions Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (Nike) and Rita Jeptoo (adidas) will wear yellow tops with blue bottoms. The top American entrant, Deena Kastor (Asics), will wear a blue top with a red bottom, both with white stripes.

Race Results Weekly has posted the full array of uniforms at this link:

http://www.raceresultsweekly.com/Boston_Uniforms_2007.pdf
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And We’re Off . . . The Chicago Marathon is Currently Under Way!

Posted October 22nd, 2006 at 10:30 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons

chicago 2006 start.jpg . The Final Sprint’s official coverage of today’s LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon will continue throughout the day. Official results, news and more information will be announced as soon as it is received. We’ll also keep you up-to-date with today’s affects on the World Marathon Majors! Check back often for updates!