FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Grandma's Marathon Mourns Loss of Defending Champion
Wesly Ngetich was expected to return in 2008
(Duluth, Minn.) Grandma's Marathon has suffered a great loss with the news
that two-time men's champion Wesly Ngetich was killed today during ongoing
violence in Kenya.
According to Race Results Weekly, the 34-year-old was shot in the chest
with an arrow during fighting in his hometown of Trans Mara.
"Words cannot express our feelings at this moment. Our sympathies go out to
Wesly's family and friends and our thoughts and prayers will remain with
them during this extremely sad and difficult time," says Scott Keenan,
executive director of Grandma's Marathon. "We loved having Wesly here at
Grandma's and he enjoyed coming here. It is difficult to imagine that he is
gone."
Ngetich, the 2005 and 2007 men's champion of Grandma's Marathon, was
expected to return to Duluth to defend his title this June in an attempt to
become the first ever three-time winner of the event. Four other men have
won the race twice in the event's 31-year history (Garry Bjorklund, Dick
Beardsley, Doug Kurtis and Patrick Maturi).
Ngetich had reportedly planned to run the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon in
Phoenix, but could not get out of Kenya due to the fighting.
###
MarathonGuide.com makes no representations as to the accuracy of information on this site or its suitability for any use. | privacy policy | refund policy