FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Elite Racing, Inc.
(858) 450-6510
Audra Fleming
(858) 518-2923
or
Susan Reid
(858) 864-2090
Champions Set to Defend Titles at 2004 Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - (May 24, 2004) - Now in its seventh year and still
recognized as the fastest marathon west of the Mississippi, the Suzuki Rock
'n' Roll Marathon once again presents an impressive elite invitational
field. The race hits the streets of San Diego on Sunday, June 6, 2004 and
will welcome back both the men's and women's defending champions from last
year.
Expect an exciting battle on the men's side as 2003 winner Ondoro Osoro
returns in defense of his title. Last year saw Osoro use a wild sprint to
the finish as he crossed the line just two seconds ahead of countryman
Peter Chebet and posted the third fastest time in race history, 2:09:38.
Joining him this year will be Ethiopian star Belay Wolasha, winner of the
2000 Suzuki race, along with another musical marathon standout, 23-year-old
Kenyan Jomo Kororia, champion of the 2003 Country Music Marathon and
runner-up at the 2004 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon.
Also highlighting the field will be 1996 Olympic marathon champion Josia
Thugwane of South Africa. His winning effort made him the first black South
African to win a medal at the Games. The fastest time in the field belongs
to Osoro, who ran a 2:06:54 when he won the 1998 Chicago Marathon in his
debut.
There will be no shortage of fierce competition on the women's side as the
champion, third and fourth place finishers from 2003 return. Irina
Bogacheva, from Kyrgyzstan, is a regular visitor to the Suzuki Rock 'n'
Roll Marathon and will be vying for her third title after winning in 1999
and 2003. She finished second in '98, third in '02 and fourth in '01 and
enters with a personal best of 2:26:27.
Svetlana Demidenko of Russia was third last year at 2:30:34 and Kenya's
Anatasia Ndereba was right behind at 2:30:53. Ndereba hails from a strong
running family as her older sister, Catherine, won the 2004 Boston Marathon
in April. The fastest time in the field, 2:24:46, belongs to Russian Madina
Biktagirova who finished fifth in the marathon at the 2000 Olympic Games.
"It's exciting to have the champions return from last year, along with so
many other familiar faces," said Mike Long, elite athlete coordinator for
the marathon. "We've had such competitive fields over the last six years
and it's always gratifying when the runners return for another shot at the
title."
All runners' eyes will be on the grand prize as a valuable purse is on the
line with the men's and women's winners each earning $10,000 and a Suzuki
product package valued at $60,000. Course record bonuses are also offered,
as $5,000 will be awarded to the first male and female to lower the current
mark. Kenya's Philip Tarus owns the men's course record as he clocked a
2:08:33 in 1999. Recent New York City Marathon winner Margaret Okayo has
the women's time at 2:25:05, set in 2001.
Following the elites will be over 20,000 participants running and walking
along a scenic course lined with more than 40 live bands, 40 spirited high
school cheerleading squads, 5,000 volunteers and thousands of encouraging
spectators. The course starts in historic Balboa Park, runs through the
Gaslamp Quarter and downtown districts, loops around Mission Bay and Sea
World and completes its course at a finish line festival in the Marine
Corps Recruit Depot in Point Loma.
For more information on the Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, contact Elite
Racing, Inc., 5452 Oberlin Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, visit
www.RnRmarathon.com or call (858) 450-6510.
# # #
2004 Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Elite Field As of May 24, 2004
MEN Name/Age/Country/PR/Highlight
1. Ondoro Osoro, 36, (KEN), 2:06:54, 1st 03 RNRM, 1st 98 Chicago Marathon
2. Belay Wolasha, 34, (ETH), 2:10:57, '00 RNRM Champion
3. Jomo Kororia, 23, (KEN), 2:11:07, 1st '03 CMM, 2nd 04 P.F. Chang's RNR
AZ
4. Tekeste Kebede, 24, (ETH) 2:20:16, 5th '03 Cherry Blossom
5. George Okworo, 25, (KEN), 2:15:38, 1st '03 Mexico City Marathon
6. Isidoro Martinez, 29, (MEX), Debut, 63:54, 7th '03, Monterrey Half
Marathon
7. Paul Kirui, 24 (KEN), Debut, 60:52, Half PR, 1st '04 Berlin Half
8. Ben Kimondiu, 26, (KEN), 2:08:52, 3rd '04 Tokyo Marathon
9. Shadrack Hoff, 32, (RSA), 2:14:02, 6th '02 World Champs Half Mara
10. Josia Thugwane, 33, (RSA), 2:07:28, 1996 Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist
11. Stephen Ndungu, 37, (KEN), 2:09:54, 5th '03, 2nd '02, 2nd '01 Suzuki
RNRM
12. David Kirui, 26, (KEN), 2:08:53, 1st '04 LA Marathon
13. Joseph Ngolepus, (KEN), 2:07:57, 3rd '03 London Marathon
14. Silvestor Moleko, 33, (RSA), 2:15:28, 1st '04 McCarthy Toyota Half
Marathon
15. Abraham Assefa, 32, (ETH), 2:13:16, 3rd '02 Hartford Marathon
Pacemakers: Godfrey Kiprotich, Joseph Kariuki, Peter Chebet
WOMEN
1. Irina Bogacheva, 43, (KGZ), 2:26:27, 1st '03 Suzuki RNRM & '03 CMM
2. Anatasia Ndereba, 29, (KEN), 2:29:03, 4th '03 Suzuki RNRM
3. Svetlana Demidenko, 28, (RUS), 2:29:56, 3rd '03 Suzuki RNRM
4. Margaret Atodonyang, 25, (KEN), 2:29:21, 2nd '03 RNR Half, 3rd '03
Amsterdam
5. Irina Safarova, 35, (RUS), 2:29:20, 2nd '02 Suzuki RNRM
6. Alevtina Ivanova, 29, (RUS), 2:29:05, 2nd '03 Nagano Marathon (PR)
7. Madina Biktagirova, 29, (RUS), 2:24:46, 5th '00 Olympic Marathon
8. Tatiana Titova, 38, (RUS), 2:31:12, 3rd '03 CMM
9. Olga Kovpotina, 34, (UKR), 2:27:37, 2nd '03 CMM
10. Violetta Uyrga, 35, (POL), 2:34:44, 1st '04 Mumbai Marathon
Pacemaker: Victoria Klimina, 28, (RUS), 2:28:30, 9th '03 Osaka Ladies
Marathon
# # #
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