FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Defending Champ, Course Record Holder Highlight
2024 Quad Cities Marathon Elite Field
MOLINE, IL - Thirty-five elite runners are confirmed for the 2024 TBK Bank
Quad Cities Marathon and Mel Foster Co. Half Marathon. The races are set
for a 7-am start Sun., Sept. 22nd, at John Deere Commons.
In the men's race, Abraham Talam Kipkemei (Kenya) will defend his title in
the full marathon. He ran 2:16:37 to win the overall title by just over two
minutes last fall. Kipkemei also won the master's title and broke the
master's course record. Kiplangat Terer (Kenya) returns this year and is
the overall course record holder. Terer is a three-time champion (2013,
2018, 2019) at Quad Cities. His record of 2:14:04 was set in the 2013
event. In 2023, he placed third overall at 2:18:59. Matthew Lorenz
(Swisher, IA) is another top returner, after placing 4th last year in
2:22:25.
Dennis Kiura (Kenya) should be a top contender with a 2:13 marathon best,
while Wilfred Kimeli Kimitei (Kenya) is a late entrant after running
2:07:23 in the 2023 Sevilla (ESP) Marathon. Dominic Korir (Kenya) is
entered with a 1:01:45 PR in the half marathon.
Taggart VanEtten (Morton, IL) is in the field and was 4th at the 2022 QCM
(2:25:20), along with a 6th last year and 4th in 2021. Troy Fleisher
(Knoxville, IL) returns after placing 7th last year in 2:33:49, his third
top-10 finish at the QCM. Phil Young (Davenport, IA) is a local favorite
in the marathon, he also has numerous Ultra Marathon victories including
Tunnel Hill, Kettle Moraine, and the Hennepin. Other elites entered in the
full marathon include: QC native Tim Hird (North Aurora, IL) who recently
ran 38:10 at the Bix-7, former Millikin University standout Gabriel Bush
(Normal, IL), and top local master's runner Artur Mueller (Davenport, IA)
who ran 2:40:22 at the 2023 Illinois Marathon.
In the women's race, Lenah Jerotich (Kenya) has the top seed timer at
2:31:47 for her effort at the 2024 Padova (ITA) Marathon. Zeddy Jebet
(Kenya) ran 2:37:28 at the 2023 Changde (CHN) Marathon and should be a top
challenger. The other sub 2:40 seed time belongs to Mercy Lagat (Kenya)
with a 2:37 from the 2022 International Cameroon Marathon. The course
record was set, in 2022, by Damaris Areba (Kenya) in 2:30:29.
Polina Hodnette (Chicago, IL) is the top returner in the field. She ran
2:52:56 to place 3rd at last year's QCM. Addison Royer (Flagstaff, AZ)
rounds out the elite field with a 2:57 seed time. She was 5th in the 2021
QCM.
MEL FOSTER CO. HALF MARATHON FEATURES TALENTED FIELD
Jamie Marcos (Champaign, IL) will defend his 2023 title in this year's Mel
Foster Co. Half. Marcos ran away from the field last fall to clock a
1:05:08, it was the fourth fastest Half in race history. The course record
is 1:04:47 by Colin Mickow (Naperville, IL) from 2019. Jesse Davis (Omaha,
NE) is another top contender, he placed 3rd last year in 1:08:11. Mike
Gille (East Moline, IL) ran 1:08:44 to place 4th last year, he was 2nd in
2022 in 1:07:48. John Börjesson (Sweden) is a newcomer to the QCM and owns
a 1:05:01 personal best from the 2022 New Orleans Half and has a 2:17
marathon PR. Thomas Rono (Kenya) will represent the Duma Team in the half
this year.
Joel Conn (Okemos, MI) is a contender with a 2:20:18 marathon best from
2023. Joseph Kehoe (Verona, WI) is another top elite with a 25:07 8K best.
Elliott Klauer (Bettendorf, IA) has produced numerous solid results
recently including a 19:51 4-mile. Aaron Golding (Moline, IL) was the top
local in the 2022 QCM. Lucas Keifer (Burlington, IA) posted a 35:58 Bix-7
effort. Coree Woltering (Jackman, ME) returns to the Quad Cities, he owns a
6th and 8th place finish in prior QC Marathons. Other elites include: Cade
Baker (Tiffin, IA), Christopher Borschnack (Davenport, IA), Jonathan Smith
(Moline, IL), Zachary Gray (Davenport, IA), Mitchell Sand (Davenport, IA),
and Julius Rotich (Des Moines, IA).
In the women's race, Olivia Dietzel (Dickeyville, WI) is the top seed. She
is the former winner of the 2021 Ironman 70.3 Michigan. She is also a
two-time Ironman World Championship finisher. The women's half record is
1:14:23, from 2014, by Laura Batterink (Evanston, IL).
2024 ELITE RUNNER BIB NUMBERS:
MEN-MARATHON
1, Kiplangat Terer, Kenya
3, Matthew Lorenz, Swisher, IA
5, Diminic Korir, Kenya
7, Taggart VanEtten, Morton, IL
9, Troy Fleisher, Knoxville, IL
15, Tim Hird, North Aurora, IL
17, Artur Mueller, Davenport, IA
19, Gabriel Bush, Normal, IL
21, Dennis Kiura, Kenya
23, Abraham Talam Kipkemi, Kenya
25, Phil Young, Davenport, IA
27, Wilfred Kimeli Kimitei, Kenya
WOMEN-MARATHON
2, Mercy Lagat, Kenya
4, Addison Royer, Flagstaff, AZ
6, Polina Hodnette, Chicago, IL
8, Zeddy Jebet, Kenya
10, Lenah Jerotich, Kenya
MEN-HALF MARATHON
1001, Jamie Marcos, Champaign, IL
1003, Jesse Davis, Omaha, NE
1005, Mike Gille, East Moline, IL
1007, John Börjesson, Sweden
1009, Joel Conn, Okemos, MI
1011, Coree Woltering, Jackman, ME
1013, Julius Rotich, Des Moines, IA
1015, Joseph Kehoe, Verona, WI
1017, Elliott Klauer, Bettendorf, IA
1019, Mitchell Sand, Davenport, IA
1021, Zachary Gray, Davenport, IA
1023, Jonathan Smith, Moline, IL
1025, Aaron Golding, Moline, IL
1027, Christopher Borschnack, Davenport, IA
1029, Cade Baker, Tiffin, IA
1031, Thomas Rono, Kenya
1033, Lucas Keifer, Burlington, IA
WOMEN-HALF MARATHON
1006, Olivia Dietzel, Dickeyville, WI
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