Contact: Richard Finn
rfinn@nyrrc.org
212-423-2229
The 2002 NEW YORK CITY MARATHON:
A RACE OF CHAMPIONS
Tesfaye Jifar, Rodgers Rop, Margaret Okayo and
Ludmila Petrova Confirmed for November 3rd Line-Up
New York, Oct. 16 - Defending New York City Marathon champions and course
record holders Tesfaye Jifar of Ethiopia and Kenyan Margaret Okayo lead a
championship line-up of stars announced today for this year's race on
Sunday, Nov. 3 by Allan Steinfeld, NYC Marathon race director and President
and CEO of the New York Road Runners.
Also announced for the 33rd running of the famed five-borough race was the
2002 Boston Marathon champion, Rodgers Rop of Kenya, and 2000 NYC Marathon
winner Ludmila Petrova of Russia.
"It's a great accomplishment when you can welcome back your reigning
champions and record holders in the same year," Steinfeld said of Jifar
(2:07:43) and Okayo (2:24:21). "Add on Rop and Okayo's victories in Boston
earlier this year and it's clear that all of these athletes are primed to
run fast. Now more than ever the New York City Marathon is the place where
champions come to run."
Jifar, 26, capped off a great marathon season last year with his record
performance in New York, where he shattered the previous course mark of
2:08:01 set by Juma Ikangaa of Tanzania in 1989. Earlier in 2001, Jifar
finished second at Tokyo (2:11:07) and fourth at London (2:09:45). This
year, Jifar was ninth at London (2:09:50).
Rop, 26, was the surprise winner of this year's Boston Marathon (2:09:02),
capturing that prestigious crown in only his second ever 26.2-mile race. His
previous marathon finish was at New York last year, when he finished third
(2:09:51).
Okayo, 26, is the first woman since Uta Pippig of Germany (New York '93,
Boston '94) to simultaneously hold both marathon crowns. Okayo set her
career mark of 2:20:43 in winning Boston this April. Last year's NYC winning
time eclipsed the previous course mark of 2:24:40 set by Australian Lisa
Ondieki in 1992.
Petrova, 34, of Russia returns for her fourth NYC Marathon and a chance to
reclaim the title she lost to Okayo last fall after finishing sixth with a
time of 2:26:18. Petrova last competed in Manhattan in June in the New York
Mini 10K with a time of 32:30. At this year's London Marathon, Petrova was
third in a career best 2:22:33.
The men's and women's NYC Marathon champions will each earn $80,000 plus a
Pontiac Vibe. For the first time in any major marathon in the United States,
the top-seeded women runners will have the benefit of an early start at this
year's New York City Marathon. The women's elite division will begin at
10:35 a.m., approximately 35 minutes before the men's elite race and the
open race. The early start is expected to increase visibility for spectators
and open up the course for an aggressive women's race. The 2002 New York
City Marathon is expected to draw an open field of around 30,000
participants.
Inaugurated in 1970 with 127 entrants, the New York City Marathon has grown
into the world's premier road race, featuring 30,000 participants, some 2.5
million live spectators, a leading elite field, and a guaranteed prize purse
of more than $475,000. Broadcast across the nation and in 125 countries
worldwide, the 26.2-mile footrace is the United States' most watched one-day
sporting event. The New York City Marathon takes place the first Sunday in
November each year and is the premier event of the New York Road Runners,
the world's most comprehensive running organization. For more information
visit www.nycmarathon.org.
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