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Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

Makau Wins, But Ritzenhein’s Record Still Stands

Posted May 17th, 2008 at 12:09 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Given that it was his first trip to the United States, Patrick Makau wanted to make sure it was a memorable one. So, on a glorious spring morning in Central Park here, the silver medalist from last year’s IAAF World Road Running Championships bolted from the start of the 4th annual Healthy Kidney 10-K to attack Dathan Ritzenhein’s one year-old course record. A $20,000 bonus awaited him at the finish line if he could break 28:08, a very solid mark considering the difficulty of the course.

“The course record is not so hard,” Makau said at the pre-race press conference last Thursday.

The 23 year-old Kenyan from Ngong rocketed through the first mile –which is uphill– in 4:23, instantly opening up a big gap on the field. Makau didn’t let up, running the second mile in 4:24 and the third (which includes a significant climb in the north end of the park) in 4:31. By the time he hit the 5-K in 13:51 he was 23 seconds up on Ritzenhein’s record.
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Marathon Ace Goumri Added to Healthy Kidney 10-K

Posted May 12th, 2008 at 6:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

One of the world’s top marathon runners, Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco, has been added to the field of next Saturday’s Healthy Kidney 10-K, the New York Road Runners announced today. Goumri, who turns 32 on May 21, was the #2 ranked marathoner in the world last year according to Race Results Weekly, finishing second at both the Flora London and ING New York City Marathons.

“Abderrahim returns to New York and the center stage against this formidable field for another step in a career that has been steadily on the rise the past few years,” said NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg through a prepared statement.

Goumri was added to the field in the wake of defending champion Dathan Ritzenhein’s withdrawal due to injury. The speedy Moroccan hold’s his nation’s record for the marathon which he set last April when he finished third at the Flora London Marathon in 2:05:30. He’s no slouch at the 10 km distance, either, also holding his nation’s 10,000m record of 27:02.62. He’s also run 28:34 on the road.
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Injury Forces Ritzenhein Out of Healthy Kidney 10-K

Posted May 8th, 2008 at 3:30 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Defending champion and event record holder Dathan Ritzenhein has been forced to withdraw from the 4th annual Healthy Kidney 10-K scheduled for Saturday, May 17, in New York City.

“We’re very disappointed not to be able to return to New York for the Healthy Kidney 10-K,” Ritzenhein told reporters on a conference call today hosted by the New York Road Runners, the founders and organizers of the race. “With a whole array of ailments, it hasn’t come together in time for me to take on the great field that’s been assembled for the race. Knowing that it might set back my preparation [for Beijing], it was with regret that we made the decision to withdraw.”

Ritzenhein, 25, of Eugene, Ore., said that the injury to the third metatarsal of his left foot, which he sustained at the USA Cross Country Championships in February, has persisted.
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Dathan Ritzenhein Returns to Action to Defend Title at 2008 Healthy Kidney 10K

Posted April 29th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results

U.S Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein will return to the roads of Central Park to defend his title in the Healthy Kidney 10K on Saturday, May 17, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.

Ritzenhein will face stiff competition from an international field that includes ING New York City Marathon 2006 champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil and 2007 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships silver medalist Patrick Makau of Kenya.

Race sponsor Embassy of the United Arab Emirates has once again established a prize-money purse of $23,500—$7,500 for the champion—plus a $20,000 bonus for breaking the Central Park 10K record of 28 minutes, 8 seconds, which Ritzenhein set at last year’s race. Ritzenhein donated his 2007 first-place check of $7,500 to the National Kidney Foundation.

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Thrilling Finishes & Record- Breaking Performances Help World Marathon Majors Usher in Brand New Era

Posted December 12th, 2007 at 12:15 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Marathons

World, national and course records, thrilling finishes, more than 300,000 participants, and a championship race that went down to the final day highlighted the inaugural 2006-2007 World Marathon Majors Series, and ushered in a brand new era of growth and excitement in the sport.

After a six month break, the excitement will continue at the 2008 Flora London Marathon on April 13, followed eight days later by the 112th Boston Marathon on April 21.

Here is a look back at some of the many highlights from the 2006-2007 World Marathon Majors Series:

Record Breakers:

* 2006: Robert K. Cheruiyot (KEN) sets a course record of 2:07:14 at the 110th Boston Marathon.
* Deena Kastor (USA) sets a new American record of 2:19:36 in winning the 2006 Flora London Marathon, becoming the eighth woman to break 2:20:00.
* Ethiopians Haile Gebrselassie (2:05:56) and Gete Wami (2:21:34) each set national records in victory at the 2006 real,-BERLIN-MARATHON.
* Gebrselassie sets a new world record of 2:04:26 at the 2007 real,-BERLIN-MARATHON.
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Inaugural World Marathon Majors Series to Conclude at ING New York City Marathon

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Nearly two years have passed since organizers of the Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City marathons announced the formation of the World Marathon Majors (WMM), and 10 events, including the IAAF World Championships, have been run since the WMM Series was launched at the 2006 Boston Marathon. Just one race – the 2007 ING New York City Marathon – remains before the inaugural WMM Series champions will be presented with their share of the $1 million jackpot at a special luncheon on November 5.

Remarkably, after 10 events – and 262 miles of racing – the women’s WMM Series champion has yet to be decided. Of the 32 women who have earned WMM points, just two remain in contention for the title: Gete Wami (ETH) and Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT). With $500,000 at stake, in addition to the ING New York City Marathon prize purse, the two women will race head-to-head through the streets of New York. A win for either would clinch the title, but anything less than victory opens up an intriguing number of potential results.
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Stefano Baldini Enters NYC Marathon; Set to Compete Against World’s Best

Posted October 11th, 2007 at 5:27 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Reigning Olympic gold medalist Stefano Baldini of Italy will add a touch of gold to an already sparkling men’s professional field at the ING New York City Marathon 2007 on Sunday, November 4, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO and race director Mary Wittenberg.

The announcement was made at a news conference in Milan, where Baldini appeared with the chairman of the New York Road Runners board of directors, George Hirsch.

“New York boasts a glittering honor roll of Italian champions, including Orlando Pizzolato, Gianni Poli, and Giacomo Leone, and we know Stefano doesn’t want his golden career to end without his name being added to that list,” Wittenberg said. “With him ride the hopes of a marathon-mad nation.”

Baldini will face off against a handful of former New York champions, including previously announced Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil (2006), Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa (2004), and Kenyans Martin Lel (2003) and Rodgers Rop (2002).
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New York Adds Firepower to Men’s Marathon Field

Posted September 12th, 2007 at 10:55 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Reigning ING New York City Marathon champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil will have to overcome the challenges of four more marquee men if he wants to retain his title on Nov. 4. Race founders and organizers, New York Road Runners, have added significantly more firepower to their field with the announcement that Martin Lel, Rodgers Rop, Stephen Kiogora, and Abderrahim Goumri have been added to their field.

“What a stellar nucleus to our men’s field: four former champions and the reigning gold and silver medalists from New York and London,” said race director Mary Wittenberg, the president and CEO of New York Road Runners. “Each man is good enough to win here in 2007.”

Lel, who sits in second position in the 2006/2007 World Marathon Majors leaderboard with 40 points, already has an ING New York City Marathon title under his belt from 2003, and has won the Flora London Marathon twice, in 2005 and 2007. Injuries kept him out of New York the last two years, but his 2:07:41 clocking in London last April where he won in a thrilling sprint finish demonstrated that the 28 year-old Kenyan should be ready to challenge for another NYC title.
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Former champions Martin Lel and Rodgers Rop return to ING NYC Marathon

Posted September 11th, 2007 at 3:54 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Former ING New York City Marathon champions Martin Lel and Rodgers Rop, both of Kenya, will return to the scene of their biggest career victories at the 38th running of the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 4, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO and race director Mary Wittenberg.

Joining 2003 champion Lel and the 2002 winner Rop in the field will be last year’s New York silver medalist Stephen Kiogora of Kenya and Morocco’s Abderrahim Goumri, who was second at the Flora London Marathon in April.

This quartet joins a championships men’s field already headlined by the previously announced defending champion, Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil, and 2004 champion Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa.

“What a stellar nucleus to our men’s field: four former champions and the reigning gold and silver medalists from New York and London,” said Wittenberg. “Each man is good enough to win here in 2007.”

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World Marathon Majors To Conclude Inaugural Series With Three Fall Races

Posted September 10th, 2007 at 12:30 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Marathons

With the conclusion of last week’s IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Osaka, Japan, three races remain in the inaugural World Marathon Majors Series: the real,- Berlin Marathon on September 30; The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon on October 7; and the ING New York City Marathon on November 4.

Jelena Prokopcuka, of Latvia, leads the women’s series with 55 points, followed by Gete Wami, of Ethiopia, and Zhou Chunxiu, of China, both of whom have 40 points. Chunxiu moved into a tie for second place in the standings with her runner-up performance at last Sunday’s marathon in Osaka.

Other top marathoners who can conceivably tie or win the 2006-2007 women’s series are Rita Jeptoo and Catherine Ndereba, both of Kenya, and both with 35 points, and Berhane Adere, of Ethiopia, with 30 points. With the conclusion of the IAAF World Track & Field Championships, the fall World Marathon Majors races are expected to begin announcing their professional athlete fields, and the head-to-head match-ups which may decide the Series winner.

Among the men, Robert Cheruiyot, of Kenya, has a seemingly insurmountable lead. Cheruiyot has won three races during the two year period, and he heads into the fall with 75 points (35 points ahead of his nearest threat). For Cheruiyot to be overtaken, one of the other marathoners among the top seven on the leaderboard likely would have to win two of the remaining fall marathons.
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