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Jul-19-2007
Keflezighi Joins Beach to Beacon Field
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi has joined the elite field for the 10th TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10-K scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 4 in Cape Elizebeth, Me., organizers announced today.
The 32 year-old Eritrean-born American will be making his Beach to Beacon debut, and will be facing defending champion, Thomas Nyariki of Kenya, and his compatriot, Gilbert Okari, who has won the race three times.
"Getting someone like Meb really adds another layer of interest and excitement for the fans," said Larry Barthlow, the race's elite athlete coordinator, through a media release. "But he obviously has his work cut out for him with Gilbert Okari determined to get his title back."
Keflezighi is looking to rebound from his disappointing marathon in London last April where he was unable to finish because of injury. The USA record holder for 10,000m bypassed the recent AT&T USA Outdoor Championships, and has said that his top priority for 2007 is the USA Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon in New York City in November. He finished second in the Trials in 2004 before capturing his Olympic medal in Athens in dramatic fashion behind Italy's Stefano Baldini.
The Beach to Beacon, founded by Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson (she grew up in Cape Elizabeth), also announced that Kenyans Edna Kiplagat, Susan Chepkemei and Alice Timbilil were to headline the women's field. Wude Ayelew of Ethiopia --the 2007 Peachtree 10-K champ-- is also in the field, along with Olympians Kathy Butler of Scotland and Elva Dryer of the United States. Luminita Talpos of Romania is also in the field.
The sold-out race, which features a beautiful coastal course, had 4813 finishers in 2006.
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