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Lead Stories: Sunday, November 23, 2008

Ryan Hall to Make Boston Marathon Debut Next April

Posted November 18th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Ryan Hall

Section: News & Results, Marathons

It’s been more than 25 years since an American man crossed the finish line first at the Boston Marathon, but race organizers hope that will change next April when Ryan Hall of Big Bear Lake, Calif., steps to their famous starting line in Hopkinton for the first time. John Hancock Financial, which funds the elite fields for the race, announced today that they had landed Hall, America’s top marathoner with a 2:06:17 personal best, for the 2009 edition of America’s oldest marathon.

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to compete on the John Hancock elite team at the 2009 Boston Marathon,” said Hall, 26, through a news release. “The Boston Marathon is the grand daddy of the World Marathon Majors. To win here would mean as much to me as winning any marathon in the world, including the Olympic Games. To win in Boston would show the world that American distance running is indeed back to the days of Salazar, Beardsley, and Rodgers.”
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Boston Marathon Boosts Prize Money for 2008

Posted April 15th, 2008 at 4:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Winning the Boston Marathon just got 50% sweeter.

At next Monday’s 112th running of America’s oldest marathon, the male and female winners will receive $150,000, a hefty boost over last year’s $100,000 payment. Thanks to the sponsorship of John Hancock Financial, the Boston champions will now receive the largest prize money check of the five commercial events of the World Marathon Majors.
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Boston Marathon Finalizes Elite Fields

Posted March 12th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

John Hancock Financial, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon, announced today that they had finalized the elite fields for the 112th edition of America’s oldest marathon, set for Monday, April 21.

Most of the field had been announced previously, but a noteworthy addition is women’s course record holder, Margaret Okayo, who hasn’t run a full marathon since finishing 9th in London in 2006 in 2:29:16. She did, however, run as a pacemaker in the Milano City Marathon last December, helping teammate Pamela Chepchumba, run a personal best 2:25:36.
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Cheruiyot Leads Strong Kenyan Contingent for Boston Marathon

Posted February 28th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Of the last 17 editions of the Boston Marathon Kenyan men have won all but two, and defending champion and course record holder Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot has nabbed three of those titles. According to an announcement by John Hancock Financial yesterday, Cheruiyot could be headed for a fourth Boston crown, keeping Kenyan dominance alive at America’s oldest, still-contested marathon, founded in 1897.

Cheruiyot, the 2006/2007 World Marathon Majors champion who rebounded from extreme poverty and homelessness to become one of the world’s finest athletes, first won in Boston in 2003. He had since come back to win twice more in 2006 –when he broke Cosmas Ndeti’s 1994 course record– and again last year when he had to contend with sheets of blowing rain as a Nor’easter pounded Boston.
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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

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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Defending Champions to Return to Boston Marathon

Posted January 23rd, 2008 at 12:06 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Organizers of the Boston Marathon announced today that Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Lidiya Grigoryeva, their 2007 champions, planned to return to the race this year to defend their titles.

“We are very excited to have both of our defending champions returning for the 112th Boston Marathon,” said Guy Morse, executive director of the Boston Athletic Association through a media release sent by John Hancock Financial, the principal sponsor of the race. “Robert and Lidiya showed their strength by winning in difficult conditions in 2007. We look forward to seeing how they follow up on those victories in 2008.”

Cheruiyot, the 2006/2007 World Marathon Majors champion and Boston Marathon course record holder, got his third Boston victory in last year’s windy and rainy race, crossing the finish line in 2:14:13, the slowest winning time in 30 years. As in his previous Boston victories, Cheruiyot, 29, timed effort to perfection.
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