Marathon News - Gharib, Limo and Rutto Headline Chicago Field

Sep-12-2007

Gharib, Limo and Rutto Headline Chicago Field
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

A great battle is in store at the fastest marathon in the United States when the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon celebrates its 30th edition on Sunday, Oct. 7.

Making his Chicago debut will be two-time world champion Jaouad Gharib of Morocco. Boasting a 2:07:02 personal best, Gharib snagged the world titles in both Paris in 2003 and Helsinki in 2005. He passed-up this year's world championships so he could be best prepared to win a World Marathon Majors title in the fall. Chicago's extremely fast course should play to his strength as a runnner who prefers a pace which is both steady and fast.

The man who won Chicago in 2005, Felix Limo of Kenya, should be Gharib's top rival. Limo, who also won London in 2006 and Berlin in 2004, has four
sub-2:07 marathons to his credit. At London last April he was in the hunt for victory in the final meters, but finished third to Martin Lel and Abderrahim Goumri in nail-biting sprint finish. Limo had planned to run Chicago last year, but an injury forced him to scratch from the race.

Evans Rutto took Chicago by storm in 2003 when he won the race in his
marathon debut in 2:05:50, a world debut record. He went on to win London
the following April in 2:06:19, then defended his Chicago title in October, 2004, in an even faster time (2:06:16). Rutto's most recent attempt at Chicago was in 2005 when he finished fourth in 2:07:28.

Other strong players for the men's title include Kenyans Daniel Njenga
(2:06:16 PB), Ben Maiyo (2:07:09), Jimmy Muindi (2:07:50), and Daniel Yego (2:08:16). Olympic medalist Lee Bong-ju of Korea is also entered (2:07:20 PB); he'll be making his Chicago debut.

"The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon's tradition of attracting the greatest athletes in the sport continues in 2007," remarked executive race director Carey Pinkowski in a prepared statement. "The men's field is anchored by athletes who have had great success in Chicago." He added: "Collectively, this field means exciting things for our 30th year and perhaps our best race yet."

The 2006 edition of the race was won by Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya in 2:07:35. He was not announced in today's list of athletes.