New York City Marathon 2011 - Men's Bios

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New York City Marathon 2011 - Men's Bios
By Sharon Ekstrom

See Also: Men's Race Preview and Starters List

Gebre Gebremariam | Emmanuel Mutai | Geoffrey Mutai | Tsegaye Kebede | Feyisa Lilesa | Jaouad Gharib Meb Keflezighi | Matthew Kisorio | Moses Kigen Kipkosgei | Viktor Röthlin |

Victah Sailer / PhotoRun Looking For a Repeat

Gebre Gebremariam
Age: 27
Country: ETH
PB: 2:04:53, 2011 Boston Marathon
New York City Marathon defending champion Gebregziabher "Gebre" Gebremariam of Ethiopia began displaying talents on the track and in cross-country at an early age, collecting accolades from 2002 to present. Among them double-world juniors medals in the 5,000m (bronze) and 10,000m (gold) in 2002, a victory at the Reebok Invitational 3,000m race in 2005 and a 4th place at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games behind legendary Hicham el Guerrouj and Kenenisa Bekele in 5,000m when he was merely 20 years of age. He also has top 10 World Championship performances spanning almost a decade.

His foray into road racing began in 2008, when he took second in his 13.1 mile debut at the Great North Run (61:29) losing to top marathoner Tsegaye Kebede. In 2009 he won the title World Cross Country champion and continued to shine in 2010 with victories at esteemed road races like the Healthy Kidney 10K in New York (27:42 course record), Peachtree 10K (27:56), Beach to Beacon (27:41) and Falmouth Road Race (32:20) which translated into a memorable marathon debut.

Gebremariam's transition to the marathon distance had been effortless as he raced the 2010 New York City Marathon alongside fellow countryman and hero Haile Gebrselassie who has served as a role model to many in his career. Gebremariam would go on to win the New York City Marathon in 2:08:14.

In early 2011, Gebremariam returned to New York to test his fitness at the 2011 New York City Half Marathon. Despite a 2nd place finish, he ran an impressive race (60:25), losing to Mo Farah, the recent 2011 3000m European Champion. Gebremariam attributed this to focusing on hills and less on speed work prior to the 2011 Boston Marathon, but it was proof that he still retained a ferocious kick.

Gebremariam in his second career marathon, kept with the leaders for a large part of the 2011 Boston Marathon. He finished third at the historically fast event in 2:04:53, a time he had never expected. Following Boston, he had two runner-up finishes at the BAA 10K and Castelbuono, losing both to Geoffrey Mutai (who defeated him in Boston and will be the fastest man on the 2011 New York City Marathon roster). Following a DNF at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, we don't know what's in store for the fall of 2011 - will he be able to once again take victory of the New York City Marathon?

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun

Emmanuel Mutai
Age: 27
Country: KEN
PB: 2:04:40, 2011 London Marathon
With six marathon finishes 2:06 or faster by age 26, Kenyan Emmanuel Mutai (now 27) bested one of the most competitive fields at the 2011 London Marathon winning in a personal best and new course record - 2:04:40. While Mutai had not been the fastest on elite rosters leading up to London, his four sub-2:07 Marathon finishes from the Amsterdam Marathon (2:06:29, 2007) and the London Marathons (2:06:16, 2008; 2:06:53, 2009; and 2:06:23, 2010) were noteworthy.

It was his performance at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin that brought him to prominence, as Mutai was one of the only competitors able to keep up with Abel Kirui's pace; earning him silver (2:07:48) and contributing to a Kenyan team victory. In 2010, Mutai followed up with two second place finishes at the 2011 London Marathon and the 2011 New York City Marathon. At the 2010 edition of the race, Mutai had taken the role of the leader early on; but was eclipsed in the final mile of the race as his energy faded. He was second in 2:09:18.

Going into the 2011 New York City Marathon, Mutai, a half-marathon specialist, is just off a personal best 59:52 at the 2011 Great North Run. Mutai has much to prove on the eve of selection for the 2012 London Olympics. He will not let a victory elude him so easily as he takes on defending champion Gebre Gebremariam, Moses Kigen and Meb Keflezighi all returning from the 2010 race.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun

Geoffrey Mutai
Age: 30
Country: KEN
PB: 2:03:02, 2011 Boston Marathon
2011 was the year that jettisoned Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya, from the 6th fastest to the fastest marathoner in the world. In his fourth year of marathoning, Mutai entered the Boston Marathon field with two super fast runner-up finishes at the 2010 Rotterdam Marathon (2:04:55) and Berlin Marathon (2:05:10). His tremendous victory of the 2011 Boston Marathon is now part of history.

In 2008-2009, when fourteen men ran 2:05 finishes, slowly closing the gap to Gebrselassie's then World Record, Mutai was still a 2:07-2:12 finisher which; not enough to challenge the best in the world. Perhaps it was Mutai's 2010 half marathon performances, notably two victories of the Ras al Khamah Half (59:43) and New Delhi Half (59:38), which served as precursors to his top marathon performances in 2010. He also received significant accolades in 10000m - twice winning silver at the Kenyan National Championships in the 10000m in 2008 and 2010, a bronze at the 2010 African Championships. He was crowned National Champion at the 2011 Kenyan Cross-County 12K and was 5th at the Worlds.

Earlier in 2011, focusing solely on cross-country paid off, Mutai destroyed the 2011 Boston Marathon field, shattering the previous course record and running solo to finish in 2:03:02...the fastest marathon finish in history. Mutai returned to Boston months later to win the BAA 10K in a personal best (27:19) and continued the winning streak through summer at the Castelbuono 10K and the Bogota Half Marathon. He even hit the track - taking fourth in the 10000m at the Kenyan National Championships. At age 30, Mutai is on fire and a victory on the roads of New York will elevate him to levels of greatness; but he will have to contend with the incredibly fast field at the 2011 New York City Marathon first.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun

Tsegaye Kebede
Age: 24
Country: ETH
PB: 2:05:18, 2009 Fukuoka Marathon
Tsegaye Kebede emerged as a great marathoner over the past three years, continuing the legacy of great Ethiopian distance runners like Abebe Bikila and former world marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie. With ten career marathons by the age of 24, Kebede ran three 2:05 finishes in 2009 and 2010, challenging highly competitive fields; but his bronze medals at the 2008 Beijing Games and 2009 World Championships along with victories of the 2008 & 2009 Fukuoka Marathon, 2008 Paris Marathon and 2010 London Marathon have truly solidified his status as one of the world's best.

In 2007, the year of the Ethiopian Millennium, Kebede debuted in the marathon. Off the radar he ran to victory at the 2007 Abebe Bikila Marathon held at altitude in Ethiopia (2:15:53). Despite running an uninspiring 2:08:16 (8th place) at the 2007 Amsterdam Marathon, he had a milestone year in 2008. Kebede took on more competitive fields - placing 2nd at the 2008 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon losing to Patrick Makau (KEN) by just tenths of a second (59:35), winning the 2008 Paris Marathon (2:06:40) and after winning a spot on the Ethiopian Olympic Marathon team, took bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (2:10:00) passing fellow countryman Deriba Merga on the track in the last hundred meters. And to end the year, he broke the course record previously held by Sammy Wanjiru (KEN) at the Fukuoka Marathon with a victory in 2:06:10.

Kebede spent 2009 bettering his times amidst deeply competitive fields. As the London Marathon left many broken by the blistering pace in the fastest half marathon split of a marathon ever run (61:35) and a number of surges from Beijing Olympic gold medalist Kenyan Sammy Wanjiru. Kebede held on to finish second to Wanjiru with a time of 2:05:20 - breaking 2:06 for the first time, a feat that only a small handful of men had ever accomplished at that time. He continued a streak of top three finishes in his next marathons with a bronze medal at the World Championships in Berlin (2:08:35) and a repeat victory of Fukuoka with a personal best of 2:05:18.

For 2010, Kebede returned to the London Marathon ready to battle a field of three of the fastest Kenyans in the competition (Kibet, Kirui and Wanjiru). In top form, he dropped most of the field at mile 17 including Wanjiru and ended the Kenyan streak becoming the second Ethiopian to win the esteemed event. Incidentally, he also finished one solid minute ahead of his competition in a 2:05:19, one second off his personal best and nine seconds off the course record. At the 2010 Chicago Marathon, Kebede was rematched against Wanjiru once again and in a nail-biting sprint to the finish Kebede could not break the defending champion and took second in 2:06:43.

With 10 marathons (8 finishes in top 3) to his resume since 2007, Kebede has become a veteran at the distance. He returned to the 2011 London Marathon and did most of the work in the race, putting in the initial surges; but was broken by the strength of Emmanuel Mutai, Martin Lel and Patrick Makau (who is now officially the current WR holder 2:03:38, 2011 berlin). Kebede finished fifth. Kebede has raced only once in 2011 at the London Marathon. If his fitness is in question, he remains a wild card for the 2011 New York City Marathon where he will be taking on Emmanuel Mutai once again and a super fast field.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun

Feyisa Lilesa
Age: 21
Country: ETH
PB: 2:05:23, 2010 Rotterdam Marathon
We promised at the Chicago Marathon in 2010 that at age 20, Feyisa Lelisa (aka Feyisa Lilesa or Lilesa Feyisa) would be a dark horse pick to win. While he may not have had the experience to take on such a deep field of veteran marathoners and lacked a resume boasting 60 minute half marathon finishes, Lelisa--the youngest in the NYC Marathon elite field--has already made a name for himself with victories at smaller marathons worldwide at the 2009 Dublin Marathon (2:09:12) and the 2010 Xiamen Marathon (2:08:47) and a bronze in 2011 WC daegu - 2:10:32.

His career standout is his performance at the 2010 Rotterdam Marathon where he finished 2:05:23, a third place finish with an incredibly fast time (incidentally, one second faster than Wanjiru's personal best). Rotterdam was shortly after his 20th birthday, making Lelisa the youngest to have run sub-2:06 and the 13th fastest marathoner of all-time. Lelisa had a big opportunity to shine in 2010 in Chicago when he took on the late Sammy Wanjiru and Tsegaye Kebede in his first World Marathon Majors race; but he couldn't hold the pace at the 24 mile mark and finished 3rd. Still not a bad effort going head-to-head against the two most aggressive marathoners in competition at that time.

While 2011 has been inconsistent - a 7th at the 2011 Rotterdam Marathon (2:11:42) and a bronze at the 2011 World Championships in the humid conditions of Daegu, S Korea (2:10:32), Lilesa has the talent to develop in the distance and as the 4th fastest Ethiopian marathoner behind Gebrselassie, Gebremariam, Kebede, anything is possible. He will just have to beat an incredibly deep field including Gebremariam and Kebede (2nd and 3rd fastest Ethiopians) who will also be at the 2011 New York City Marathon.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun

Jaouad Gharib
Age: 39
Country: MAR
PB: 2:05:27, 2009 London Marathon
At 39, Jaouad Gharib, two-time World Champion (2003 and 2005) and two-time Olympian, is the oldest runner in the elite field; but his resume boasting 16 marathons with 11 finishes in the top three at races like the London, Chicago, New York and Fukuoka Marathons make him one of the strongest challengers and prove that age has not slowed down this Moroccan.

Gharib, a veteran of the London Marathon, who has raced from 2004-2010 finishing in the top 4 five times, sat out in 2008 to rest up for the Olympics Games. The plan worked as he won silver at the 2008 Beijing Games (2:07:16). He followed-up with a third place at the 2009 London Marathon against a crop of aggressive marathoners [14 years his junior] and proved that age is meaningless as he set a personal best and Moroccan National Record in 2:05:27. Other highlights in 2009 include a 2nd place finish at the Lisbon Half-Marathon (59:59 - 3 seconds short of his personal best from the 2004 edition of the race), a 3rd place finish at the Great North Run (60:03) and a 3rd place finish at the New York City Marathon (2:10:25).

In 2010 Gharib returned to the London Marathon where he placed third once again in 2:06:55 over a minute slower than the previous year. He rounded out the year with a marathon victory in Fukuoka - his first since the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki. In 2011 Gharib came in sixth at the only two races he participated in. He ran his second slowest finish at the London Marathon (2:08:26) and the Great North Run where he was 2.5 minutes off the winner.

With seven sub-2:08 career marathons, Gharib undoubtedly has the most experience in the field and the mental toughness that has made runners such as Meb Keflezighi (USA) a top runner through the years. While Gharib has been able to hold with these fast crowds in the past, he will be returning to the New York City to challenge one of the toughest he will ever face. There is no doubt that his aggressive surging tactics throughout the race while retaining a finishing kick has made him a formidable threat, but will he be able to hold it to the finish against this 2011 New York City Marathon field?

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun

Meb Keflezighi
Age: 36
Country: USA
PB: 2:09:15, 2009 New York City Marathon
Meb Keflezighi, 2004 Olympic silver medalist and 2009 New York City Champion, returns to the 2011 New York City Marathon field. While Keflezighi was absent from 2011 spring marathon rosters, his year of half marathons has been focused and consistent and progressively faster with two victories of the Rock 'n' Roll races - 3 half marathons finishing 62:53 (New York City Half), 62:38 (Rock 'n' Roll San Diego), 62:17 (Rock 'n' Roll San Jose).

Keflezighi's early career was decorated with accolades in cross-country and the 10000m. He nabbed the American Record at the 10000m and gave a solid performance at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He turned to the marathon distance in 2002 - running his first marathon at the 2002 New York City finishing 9th in 2:12:35. His second career marathon was at the 2003 Chicago Marathon where he finished 7th in 2:10:03.

Yet, the career changer was in 2004. Keflezighi made the 2004 Athens Olympic team in both the 10000m and Marathon, but chose to "become a marathoner" and run the one event ending with a silver medal performance at the 2004 Athens Olympics in challenging conditions. A string of successful performances were to follow at the 2004 New York City Marathon (2:09:53, 2nd place), the 2005 New York City Marathon (2:09:56, 3rd place) and 2006 Boston Marathon (same time as New York!: 2:09:56, 3rd place).

Beginning in late 2006, Keflezighi struggled through setbacks from injury and although expected to be a shoo-in to make the 2008 Olympic team, Keflezighi's injuries caused the defending silver medalist to fail to make that team. What was to follow were two injury-ridden years (2007 and 2008), many thought Keflezighi was done. But what made Keflezighi successful in his running - one of the strongest spirits and greatest toughness in the sport - let Keflezighi continue to rebuild, culminating in a 2009 that was filled with personal bests, national championship titles and major event victories.

Keflizighi's 2009 achievements started with a strong win, personal best and National Half Marathon title at the Houston Half Marathon; winning the National Cross-Country title; personal best at the 2009 London Marathon (2:09:21); strong win at the Rock 'n' Roll San Jose Half-Marathon (61:00) culminating with an incredible victory and personal best (2:09:15) at the 2009 New York City Marathon against a tough and deep field on a tough course - also his first marathon victory and the USA Men's Marathon Championship.

Keflezighi ran the 2010 Boston Marathon (2:09:26, 5th place) just eleven seconds shy of his personal best. Keflezighi next had his sights on defending his title at the 2010 New York City Marathon where he had a personal best on the not-so-flat, fast course; but Keflezighi struggled and finished 6th in 2:11:38.

Keflezighi is back - he has proven before that he can master the New York City course where even the fastest have to dig deep on these challenging city streets. And New Yorkers will be cheering him on. What he will have to contend with are Gebremariam, E. Mutai and Kigen (1st, 2nd, 3rd) from the 2010 event along with some phenomenal international superstars.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun

Mathew Kisorio
Age: 22
Country: KEN
PB: Debut
It's always such an unknown variable when a runner has a marathon debut. Mathew Kisorio of Kenya is that wild card in the field. While he is best known in the 5000m distance and cross country, his most notable accolades have been as 2008 World Juniors Silver medalist in the 5000m and in the Cross Country Long distance where he was 6th at Worlds in 2009 and 4th at Worlds in 2011.

Kisorio started racing on the roads last year, running three half marathons with a 61:10 finish or faster. Most notably, he won the ING Philadelphia Half in 60:16 beating out favorite Gebre Gebremariam in a new course record time (the previous course mark of 60:27 set by Khannouchi in 1997). In 2011 he exploded on the world circuit with a number of top performances - including a 4th at World Cross 12K, a 10000m personal best at Prefontaine classic, runner-up at 2011 Peachtree 10K (2nd place 2 seconds behind Sammy Kitawara 10K & half specialist) and a victory at the 2011 Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half (beating Sammy Kitawara by 2 seconds).

What was most notable about the Philadelphia race, where he returned to defend his title, he won in 58:46, which was a huge personal best time, a new course record and also set a new USA all-comer's record eclipsing Haile Gebrselassie's mark (58:55 set at the 2006 edition of the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Half Marathon). At 22 yrs of age, he shows much promise and it wouldn't be surprising to see him in the top 5 at the 2011 New York City Marathon.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun

Moses Kigen Kipkosgei
Age: 28
Country: KEN
PB: 2:10:12, 2009 Nairobi Marathon
Moses Kigen may have flown under the radar for the 2010 New York City Marathon where he finished in 3rd behind Gebremariam and E. Mutai; but with the astounding performances by unknown and off-the-radar Kenyans at races, we still can be surprised by this Kenyan who is predominantly a 10K and half marathon specialist.

At 29, he has four career marathons - two victories of the 2009 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona (2:10:36) and the 2009 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon (2:10:12), an 8th place at the 2010 Boston Marathon (2:12:04) and 3rd place at New York City Marathon (2:10:39). While his marathon times may not seem of note in fields where top athletes have clocked sub 2:06, New York City Marathon is a different entity. And having had experience on the course is half the battle.

With no marathons for 2011 thus far, Kigen who tends to keep his race schedule light; has run two half marathons the New York City Half (61:19) and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon (62:37) and a 12K cross country race. If Kigen can keep with the leaders, he may have the strength and resolve to soldier on as he did at the 2010 New York City Marathon and pick off the leaders as he fights his way to the finish.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun

Viktor Röthlin
Age: 37
Country: SUI
PB: 2:07:23, 2008 Tokyo Marathon
Olympian Viktor Röthlin, is a veteran in the marathon distance with 17 races to his resume and a career which began at the 1999 Hamburg Marathon where he finished 12th in 2:13:36. This Swiss national record holder was an Olympian in the 2000 and 2008 Olympics, bronze medalist from the brutally hot 2007 World Championships (2:17:25) and winner of the Zurich Marathons in 2004 (2:09:56) and 2007 (2:08:20).

Röthlin made great strides in and since 2008 when he broke the 2:08 mark after racing the distance for the fifteenth time, winning the 2008 Tokyo Marathon in 2:07:23. He went on to finish sixth at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2:10:35; but in 2009 he suffered from a life threatening double pulmonary embolism. Röthlin rebounded and eighteen months later won the European Championships (2:15:31) on a hot and humid day in Barcelona.

That win, following an astonishing comeback, was shortlived, as he failed to finish the 2010 New York City Marathon. At the 2011 London Marathon Röthlin targeted a 2:10 finish, but finished 2:12:43 (11th place). The question remains whether this 37 year old reigning European champion can return to his 2008 fitness levels, as he takes on the highly competitive field at the 2011 New York City Marathon.

Coverage Homepage

Post Race: Men's Post-Race | Women's Post-Race | Complete Searchable Results

Pre-Race:
Men: Men's Preview & Starter List | Men's Athlete Bios | Men's Pre-Race Quotes
Women: Women's Preview & Starter List | Women's Athlete Bios | Women's Pre-Race Quotes
Head-to-Heads: Elite Athlete Past Matchups
Extras: Pace Calculator/Pace Guide/Viewing | Videos (Athletes/Archival/More...)
More News: Press Releases | News
Featured Book/Movie: Run For Your Life | A Race Like No Other