FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kristine Smith
Twin Cities Marathon, Inc.
763-287-3888 ext. 13
PAST CHAMPIONS TO HEADLINE MEDTRONIC TWIN CITIES MARATHON FIELD
National and International Field to Compete For More Than $306,000
Prize Purse, October 7
(Minneapolis, MN) – Past Twin Cities Marathon Champions Augustus Kavutu,
Kim Pawelek, Irina Bogacheva, women's course record holder Zina Semenova,
and two-time defending USA Masters Champion Susan Loken, are set to return
to compete for more than $306,000 in prize money at the 26th Annual
Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday, October 7.
After a two year hiatus, 2004 Twin Cities Marathon Champion, Kenyan
Augustus Kavutu headlines the men's field, which is filled with runners who
have won marathons over the past year. Wesly Ngetich, 2007 Grandma's
Marathon winner, is scheduled to race, as is Kenyan Fred Mogaka, who won
the Los Angeles Marathon in April. Jonathan Ndambuki, another Kenyan, who
won the 2006 Cal International Marathon, and 2004 Olympian from St. Lucia,
Zepherinus Joseph will also toe the line. The deep men's field will have
more than 25 runners with personal bests of 2:20 or better.
The women's field will feature three former Twin Cities Marathon Champions.
Three-time winner, and course record holder, Zina Semenova of Russia,
returns to the field as a master; 2004 Athens Olympian Irina Bogacheva of
Kyrgystan won Twin Cities Marathon in 2002; and Kim Pawelek of
Jacksonville, FL, is still running strong after winning Twin Cities
Marathon in 1999.
Rounding out the women's field are 2007 Grandma's Marathon Champion and
member of the 2007 USA Women's World Marathon Championship team Mary Akor
of Glendale, CA; Russian Svetlana Ponomarenko, who won the 2006 Dallas
White Rock marathon in December; and another 2004 Athens Olympian Tatiana
Borisova of Kyrgyzstan. Making her marathon debut is Caroline Cretti, 22,
of Blowing Rock, NC. Cretti was 5th at the 25k Championship in May.
For the 17th consecutive year, the Medtronic Twin Cites Marathon will host
of the USA Masters Marathon Championship. Phoenix resident and reigning
USA Masters Champion, Susan Loken is looking to improve on her personal
best of 2:41:33 set at PF Chang's Rock & Roll Marathon in 2006.
Challenging Loken for the women's master's title will be Michelle
Simonaitis, Draper, UT; Doreen McCoubrie, Malvern, PA; and Tere Stouffer,
Sevierville, TN.
The men's masters' field will be looking to crown a new champion. The 2007
masters assembly includes Sean Wade of Houston, TX. Wade was named 2006
Male Masters Runner of the Year by the Road Runners Club of America.
Chasing Wade will be 2004 USA Masters Marathon Champion Dennis Simonaitis
of Draper, UT and Paul Aufdemberge of Redford, MI. Aufdemberge will be
joined by Kenyan Gideon Mutisya, who beat Aufdemberge at the Crim 10 Mile
Race in Michigan on August 25.
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