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Kerrin Perniciaro
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Media Relations Department
New York Road Runners
Lorraine DelliCarpini
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Ramaala, Lel, and Chepkemei Among the Latest Marquee Names Added
to the ING New York City Marathon 2006 Lineup
Trio of stars will be running the half-marathon distance
at this weekend's BUPA Great North Run in Newcastle, England
New York, September 28, 2006—Former ING New York City Marathon champions
Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa (2004) and Martin Lel of Kenya (2003) and
three-time ING New York City Marathon runner-up Susan Chepkemei of Kenya
will return to the streets of New York on November 5 for the 37th running
of the ING New York City Marathon, it was announced today by race director
Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners.
In what could be a preview of things to come later this fall, Ramaala and
Lel are slated to compete at the BUPA Great North Run in Newcastle,
England, on October 1, along with Italy's Stefano Baldini and Dathan
Ritzenhein of the United States, both of whom have already been announced
for the ING New York City Marathon 2006. Chepkemei will also run the
13.1-mile BUPA Great North Run.
"Hendrick, Martin, and Susan are all playmakers and have played leading
roles in our storied marathon history," said Wittenberg. "In a field of
favorites, each is fully capable of winning on November 5."
Ramaala, the ING New York City Marathon 2004 champion, was part of one of
the most memorable finishes in the race's history last year. World
record-holder Paul Tergat of Kenya captured a dramatic down-to-the-wire win
(2:09:30) by crossing the line barely a step in front of Ramaala (2:09:31).
It was the closest-ever finish in the 36-year history of the race. Ramaala,
34, won the ING New York City Marathon crown in 2004 with a time of
2:09:28. He placed fifth in New York in 2001 with a time of 2:11:18. This
year, he recorded a personal-best time of 2:06:55 at the Flora London
Marathon, finishing third. He currently sits in a three-way tie for third
place on the World Marathon Majors leaderboard with 10 points.
Lel, 27, is in a three-way tie for second place on the WMM leaderboard with
15 points. Like Ramaala, he also registered a personal-best marathon time
(2:06:41) at the Flora London Marathon in April, finishing second by just
two seconds to Felix Limo after winning the event in 2005. He won the ING
New York City Marathon title in 2003 with a time of 2:10:30 and was third
at the Boston Marathon in both 2003 and 2004.
Fellow Kenyan Rodgers Rop, 33, who captured first place in the ING New York
City Marathon 2002 with a time of 2:08:07, will attempt to win his second
New York title. He was the runner-up to Lel in 2003.
Also joining the men's professional field is 26-year-old Hailu Negussie. He
has won four marathons, including the 2005 Boston Marathon.
Brazilian contender Marilson Gomes dos Santos will look to make a splash in
his first ING New York City Marathon appearance.
The New York women's race is shaping up as one of the deepest and most
competitive in recent years. In addition to defending champion Jelena
Prokopcuka of Latvia and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor, the ING
New York City Marathon will also feature Chepkemei and fellow Kenyan Rita
Jeptoo, who is currently in a three-way tie for first place atop the WMM
leaderboard with Kastor and Ethiopia's Gete Wami after winning the 2006
B.A.A. Boston Marathon.
Chepkemei, 31, is one of the world's most consistent marathon runners. She
set a personal-best time of 2:21:46 at this year's Flora London Marathon,
where she finished third. She has placed second three times at the ING New
York City Marathon, most recently in 2005. Her top time in New York came in
2004 when she ran the race in 2:23:13 to place second behind England's
Paula Radcliffe (2:23:10). In 2001, Chepkemei was second to countrywoman
Margaret Okayo with a time of 2:25:12. She also participated in the ING New
York City Marathon 2003, when she posted a seventh-place finish in 2:29:05.
Jeptoo, 25, won Boston with a personal-best time of 2:23:38. The victory
marked her most significant career highlight to date and catapulted her to
the top of the WMM leaderboard. In 2005, Jeptoo was seventh at the IAAF
World Championships Marathon (2:24:22) and third at the Turin Marathon. She
collected two first-place finishes in marathons in Milan and Stockholm in
2004.
Rounding out the women's field in New York will be 2005 IAAF World
Half-Marathon Championships silver medalist Lornah Kiplagat. Kiplagat, of
the Netherlands, was 10th at last year's ING New York City Marathon with a
time of 2:28:28. She won the Dam to Dam 10 Mile in Amsterdam, Netherlands,
on September 17, in a world-best time of 50:50. Russia's Lidiya Grigoryeva
will also be back in New York seeking to improve upon her eighth-place
finish last year (2:27:48). Grigoryeva won the 2006 City of Los Angeles
Marathon.
ING New York City Marathon 2006 Announced Professional Fields
(as of September 28, 2006)
Men
Marilson Gomes dos Santos, Brazil
Hailu Negussie, Ethiopia
Stefano Baldini, Italy
Martin Lel, Kenya
Tom Nyariki, Kenya
Rodgers Rop, Kenya
Paul Tergat, Kenya
Hendrick Ramaala, South Africa
Alan Culpepper, United States
Matt Downin, United States
Joe Driscoll, United States
Matt Gabrielson, United States
Peter Gilmore, United States
Meb Keflezighi, United States
Dathan Ritzenhein, United States
Women
Mara Yamauchi, Great Britain
Susan Chepkemei, Kenya
Rita Jeptoo, Kenya
Catherine Ndereba, Kenya
Jelena Prokopcuka, Latvia
Lornah Kiplagat, Netherlands
Lidiya Grigoryeva, Russia
Deena Kastor, United States
Katie McGregor, United States
New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners, soon to celebrate its 50th anniversary, is dedicated
to promoting the sport of distance running, enhancing health and fitness
for all, and responding to community needs. Our road races and other
fitness programs draw upwards of 300,000 runners annually, and together
with our magazine and website support and promote professional and
recreational running. A staff of 60, assisted by thousands of volunteers,
stages the ING New York City Marathon, as well as a road race nearly every
weekend plus many track and cross country events. NYRR's home base in New
York, and its lifelong identification with Central Park, have given many of
its events iconic status, attracting the world's top professional runners.
Our youth programs provide running to 15,000 New York City schoolchildren
who would otherwise have few or no fitness opportunities. For more
information visit www.nyrr.org.
The ING New York City Marathon
The premier event of New York Road Runners, the ING New York City Marathon
is one of the world's great road races, drawing more than 90,000
applicants. The race attracts many world-class professional athletes, not
only for the more than $600,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to
excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering
spectators and 312 million worldwide television viewers. As any one of the
672,000 past participants will attest, crossing the finish line in Central
Park is one of the great thrills of a lifetime. For more information visit
www.ingnycmarathon.org.
World Marathon Majors
The ING New York City Marathon is one of five events in the World Marathon
Majors series that showcases the sport's top athletes and awards an
unprecedented $1 million champion's prize. The WMM series also includes the
Boston Marathon, the Flora London Marathon, the real,- Berlin Marathon, and
the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. For more information visit
www.worldmarathonmajors.com.
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