FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
John Hancock Presents 2013 Boston Marathon
Elite Field at April 12th Press Conference
BOSTON, MA - April 10, 2013 - John Hancock Financial will present its elite
team of 32 international marathon runners from 11 countries.
Reigning champions Wesley Korir and Sharon Cherop, both of Kenya, return to
defend their titles, but will be fiercely challenged by a talented
international field of Olympians, World Marathon Majors, and multiple
global marathon winners of Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Cologne, Daegu,
Dubai, Eindhoven, Eldoret, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Hamburg, Houston,
Istanbul, Los Angeles, Milan, New York City, Paris, Porto, Rome, Shanghai,
St. Paul, Soweto, Toronto, Turin, and the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Last year Korir and Cherop battled not only one of the strongest fields
ever assembled, but also blistering race day temperatures topping 85F.
Korir prevailed over countryman Levy Matebo in the final mile and Cherop
used past experience to surge on the final turn to win the women's race by
two seconds.
In the men's race, challenging Korir is two-time Olympian and 2010 New York
City winner Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia, who is again in the field after
finishing third in 2011 in 2:04:53. Countryman Lelisa Desisa Benti joins
Gebremariam to also pose a threat to Korir. Desisa was recently crowned
champion of the Dubai Marathon in a debut time of is 2:04:45.
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, the 2010 Boston Marathon champion, and last
year's runner-up Levy Matebo, both of Kenya, return determined to break the
tape ahead of Korir this time around. 2009 Boston Marathon champion Deriba
Merga, of Ethiopia, is also in the field and has the experience needed to
repeat as victor.
Top Americans Jason Hartmann and Fernando Cabada will also seek the title.
Hartmann finished as top American and fourth overall last year and Cabada
holds the American record in the 25K. American Abdi Abdirahman is a late
drop and will not be able to run due to illness.
In the women's race, Cherop will be chased by Amsterdam's 2:21:09
course-record-holder Meseret Hailu Debele of Ethiopia, and Paris' 2:21:40
course-record-holder Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene. Past Boston champion and 2012
Chicago runner-up Rita Jeptoo of Kenya, and Mexican national-record-holder
Madai Pérez also will present a challenge for the Boston crown.
American Olympians Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher are also expected to
be top contenders. At the London Olympic Marathon, Flanagan and Goucher
finished tenth and eleventh, respectively. Flanagan is a three-time
Olympian and was runner-up in her 2010 marathon debut in New York City,
before winning the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon. Goucher has
experience on the Boston course finishing as high as third in 2009 and
fifth in 2011.
Also in attendance will be Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Greg Meyer,
and Dick and Rick Hoyt.
A complete list of the 2013 John Hancock Boston Marathon Elite Field is
below.
2013 John Hancock Elite Field* 117th Boston Marathon
MEN Personal Best Time Country
Lelisa Desisa Benti 2:04:45 (Dubai, 2013) Ethiopia
Gebregziabher 'Gebre' Gebremariam 2:04:53 (Boston, 2011) Ethiopia
Markos Geneti 2:04:54 (Dubai, 2012) Ethiopia
Levy Matebo 2:05:16 (Frankfurt, 2011) Kenya
Dickson Chumba 2:05:46 (Eindhoven, 2012)CR Kenya
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot 2:05:52 (Boston, 2010) Kenya
Wesley Korir 2:06:13 (Chicago, 2012) Kenya
Raji Assefa 2:06:24 (Paris, 2012) Ethiopia
Deriba Merga 2:06:38 (London, 2006) Ethiopia
Jeffrey Hunt 2:11:00 (Beppu, 2010) Australia
Jason Hartmann 2:11:06 (Chicago, 2010) USA
Fernando Cabada 2:11:53 (Houston, 2012) USA
Robin Watson 2:13:37 (Rotterdam, 2012) Canada
Micah Kogo Debut Kenya
WOMEN Personal Best Time Country
Meseret Hailu Debele 2:21:09 (Amsterdam, 2012)CR Ethiopia
Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene 2:21:19 (Berlin, 2012) Ethiopia
Mamitu Daska 2:21:59 (Frankfurt, 2011) Ethiopia
Rita Jeptoo 2:22:04 (Chicago, 2012) Kenya
Sharon Cherop 2:22:39 (Dubai, 2012) Kenya
Madai Pérez 2:22:59 (Chicago, 2006)NR Mexico
Alemitu Abera Begna 2:23:14 (Houston, 2012)CR Ethiopia
Kara Goucher 2:24:52 (Boston, 2011) USA
Shalane Flanagan 2:25:38 (OT Houston, 2012)CR USA
Ana Dulce Félix 2:25:40 (NYC, 2011) Portugal
Yolanda Caballero 2:26:17 (Boston, 2011) Colombia
Sabrina Mockenhaupt 2:26:21 (Berlin, 2010) Germany
Diana Chepkemoi Sigei 2:26:53 (Dubai, 2011) Kenya
Serena Burla 2:28:27 (Seoul, 2012) USA
Stephanie Rothstein-Bruce 2:29:35 (Houston, 2011) USA
René Kalmer 2:29:50 (Yokohama, 2011) RSA
Diane Nukuri-Johnson 2:30:13 (London, 2012)NR Burundi
Alissa McKaig 2:31:56 (Houston, 2012) USA
American Abdi Abdirahman and Ukrainian Tetiana Gamera-Shmyrko are late
drops due to illness.
NR = National Record
CR = Course Record
(Field as of 4/10/13)
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