FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Universal Sports to Broadcast Flora London Marathon
TV and live online coverage of race begins this Sunday at 9:00am ET
LOS ANGELES - (April 21, 2009) - The 2008 Olympic Marathon gold
medalists from the Beijing Games headline the field as Universal Sports
presents live online and same-day television coverage of the 2009 Flora
London Marathon, part of the World Marathon Majors series. Live global
webcast begins this Sunday at 4:00am ET at UniversalSports.com with
television coverage on Universal Sports beginning Sunday at 9:00am ET.
UniversalSports.com will provide a live global webcast of the race. More
information, as well as highlights, full-length videos, photos, breaking
news and more are available at www.UniversalSports.com/marathon.
WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: Universal Sports is the broadcast home to
the World Marathon Majors (WMM) which include the Boston Marathon, Flora
London Marathon, real,- Berlin Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon
and will conclude with the ING New York City Marathon in November. In
addition to broadcasting the WMM, Universal Sports will also provide
coverage of the Los Angeles, Stockholm and Beijing Marathons, starting at
the end of May.
ABOUT THE RUNNERS: Defending champion Martin Lel of Kenya
won the London Marathon in 2005, 2007 and 2008, and hopes to become the
first man to win four London marathons in his career and to join
Dionicio Ceron and Katrin Dorre as a race three-peater.
The London Marathon is known for having a flat, fast course and a place
for setting personal, national and world records. When Lel won in 2008, the
30-year-old runner set a course record of 2 hours, 5 minutes, 15 seconds,
making him the fourth-quickest marathon runner ever.
This year, one of Lel's many challenges will be defeating Beijing
Olympic gold medalist, 22-year-old fellow Kenyan Sammy Wanjiru.
Wanjiru finished second at the London Marathon last year, only nine seconds
behind Lel. Also competing is two-time World champion and Beijing Olympic
silver medalist Jaouad Gharib of Morocco and Beijing Olympic bronze
medalist Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia. Americans and Olympians Meb
Keflezighi (2004 silver medalist) and Dathan Ritzenhein are also
expected to be threats.
On the women's side, Beijing Olympic gold medalist Constantina
Tomescu Dita will be racing against four-time Boston Marathon winner
Catherine Ndereba. Ndereba attempted to compete in the Boston
Marathon again this year, but was told there was no room for her to
compete. Instead, she will be facing Dita and many other strong runners in
this year's London Marathon. Find more race information at:
www.London-Marathon.co.uk
###
| 
