FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Liliya Shobukhova Aims for Unprecedented Fourth Consecutive Victory at the
2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Shobukhova Joins Kenya's Lucy Kabuu and Ethiopia's Ejegayehu Dibaba
to Headline Talented Women's Field
CHICAGO - The Bank of America Chicago Marathon today announced that Liliya
Shobukhova of Russia will go for an unprecedented fourth consecutive
victory in the event's 35th running on October 7. After she was unable to
finish the Olympic Games Marathon on August 5 due to stomach cramps,
Shobukhova, a pre-race gold medal favorite, will look to get back to her
winning ways in Chicago where she is undefeated in three appearances.
"It was heartbreaking to withdraw from the Olympic Marathon after I had
trained so hard and my preparation had gone so well," said Shobukhova. "But
I am still very fit and in good health, and I am going to focus all my
energy on a great performance at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
There is no place that I feel more comfortable than when I am competing in
Chicago. I love the course and appreciate the support from the fans. I am
especially motivated to win for the fourth time in a row, which has never
been done before in Chicago."
Shobukhova, who ran the third-fastest time in history (2:18:20) to win last
year's race, will face her stiffest competition yet in the bid for her
fourth title. Sub-2:20 performer Lucy Kabuu of Kenya (2:19:34) stands in
her way, as does Ethiopia's Ejegayehu Dibaba, who ran 2:22:09 in a
runner-up finish to Shobukhova last year. These three athletes have the
potential to put Paula Radcliffe's 10-year-old course record of 2:17:18 in
jeopardy. Kenya's Florence Kiplagat was forced to withdraw from the field
due to an injury.
"Liliya has already made history at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon
with three victories in a row, and this year she has a chance to join the
great Khalid Khannouchi with four total victories," said Executive Race
Director Carey Pinkowski. "She is truly one of the great champions of the
sport, and while her race at the Olympics was not what she had wished for,
she has a chance to return to the top of the world in Chicago."
Last year, Shobukhova became the first runner to win three consecutive
Chicago Marathon titles, and a fourth victory would tie her for the most
ever in Chicago. Khalid Khannouchi won four times in the span of six years
(1997, 1999, 2000, 2002).
About the 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Celebrating its 35th year and a member of the World Marathon Majors, the
Bank of America Chicago Marathon annually attracts 45,000 participants,
including a world-class elite runner and wheelchair field, and an estimated
1.7 million spectators. As a result of its national and international draw,
each year, the iconic race assists in raising millions of dollars for a
variety of charitable causes while generating $170 million in economic
impact to its host city according to a report by the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign's Regional Economics Applications Laboratory
(R.E.A.L.). The 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will start and finish
in Chicago's Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 7. In
advance of the race, a two-day Health & Fitness Expo will be held at
McCormick Place Convention Center on Friday, October 5, and Saturday,
October 6.
www.chicagomarathon.com
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