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Lead Stories: Monday, December 1, 2008

Gold Medalist Dita Leads Chicago Field

Posted September 11th, 2008 at 10:45 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Organizers of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will have the sparkle of gold at their race on Sunday, October 12, when Romania’s Constantina Dita steps to the starting line. The newly crowned Olympic Games gold medalist will have just 56 days to recover from her breakaway win in Beijing, then rally back to perform at her best in Chicago. It will be her fifth appearance in the Windy City, a race she won in 2004 and finished second one year later in a personal best 2:21:30.

“I am delighted to be returning to Chicago,” said Dita through a press release. “I have always felt great running there and have been fortunate to have some of the best races of my life there. It will also be nice to return because I understand Chicago is bidding for the 2016 Olympic Games and I think it would be a wonderful place to have them.”

In Beijing Dita pulled away from the field just before the halfway point, and romped to a solo victory in 2:26:44, 22 seconds ahead of silver medalist Catherine Ndereba of Kenya. She became the oldest Olympic Games marathon champion at 38.
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Complete Elite Fields for NYC Half-Marathon

Posted July 24th, 2008 at 11:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Road Racing

The New York Road Runners (NYRR) have announced the complete, wlite fields for this Sunday’s NYC Half-Marathon Presented by Nike. TheFinalSprint.com will be at the race to provide live updates, press conference videos, interviews and more!

Bib First Last City State Nat. Affiliation DOB Age PB

MEN

2 Patrick Makau N’gong KEN adidas 02-Mar-85 23 58:56
3 Dathan Ritzenhein Eugene OR USA NIKE 30-Dec-82 25 1:01:25
4 Hendrick Ramaala Johannesburg RSA adidas 02-Feb-72 36 59:20
5 William Kipsang Eldoret KEN NIKE 01-Jan-77 31 1:00:25
6 Felix Limo Eldoret KEN adidas 22-Aug-80 27 1:01:12
7 Tadesse Tola ETH NIKE 31-Oct-87 20 1:01:37
8 Khalid El Boumlili MAR NIKE 10-Apr-78 30 1:01:12
9 Adam Goucher Portland OR USA NIKE 19-Feb-76 32 1:03:17
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De Reuck Replaced by Gomez in BolderBOULDER 10-K

Posted May 25th, 2008 at 10:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

A report published in today’s Rocky Mountain News said that USA masters 10-K champion Colleen De Reuck is out of Monday’s Dick’s Sporting Goods BolderBOULDER 10-K.

The report said that De Reuck, 44, was forced to withdraw with an illness and that she was to be replaced by marathon runner Zoila Gomez, recently fourth at the USA Olympic Marathon trials.

De Reuck, who has lived in Boulder for many years, is a fan favorite. However, the USA team for the International Team Challenge may be a bit stronger with Gomez, 28.
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USA Half-Marathon Titles
Up for Grabs in Houston

Posted January 13th, 2008 at 8:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

With deep fields but no clear favorites, Sunday’s USA Half-Marathon Championships hosted by the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon look to be wide open races. Most athletes are only in the base phase of their training cycles, either recovering from, or in the early stages of preparing for, important marathons. Expectations amongst the top entrants are modest, despite the $12,000 winner’s purse.

“I was in the same boat last year at this time,” said defending women’s champion Elva Dryer in a telephone interview last night from Houston. Prior to last year’s championship, Dryer was just restarting her training after running the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in October.

This year, she’s had even less recovery time after placing sixth at the ING New York City Marathon last November. However, Houston offers her a good chance to see where her training stands for April’s USA Olympic Team Trials - Women’s Marathon in Boston. A two-time Olympian at 10,000m, Dryer has an excellent shot of qualifying for her first Olympic marathon.
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U.S. names marathon team for IAAF World Champs in Osaka

Posted May 16th, 2007 at 7:45 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

USA Track & Field named their marathon squads for the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka in August (with personal best times):

MEN -
Mbarak Hussein (Albuquerque, N.M.), 2:08:10, Seoul, 2004
Simon Sawe (Albuquerque, N.M.), 2:13:33, Grandma’s, 2005
Fernando Cabada (Bristol, Va.), 2:12:27, Fukuoka, 2006
Mike Morgan (Rochester Hills, Mich.), 2:15:11, Chicago, 2006
Kyle O’Brien (Rochester Hills, Mich.), 2:15:13, Chicago, 2006

WOMEN -
Mary Akor (Gardena, Calif.), 2:33:50, Twin Cities, 2006
Zoila Gomez (Alamosa, Colo.), 2:35:26, Twin Cities, 2006
Ann Alyanak (Bellbrook, Ohio), 2:38:55, Boston, 2007
Kristin Price (Raleigh, N.C.), 2:38:57, Boston, 2007
Samia Akbar (Hendon, Va.), 2:34:14, New York City, 2006
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