FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joshua Milne
Sports Marketing PR Specialist
John Hancock Financial Services
Phone: 617-572-3816
Cell: 617-824-0294
John Hancock Financial Services Announces
Top American Olympic Silver Medalist To The 2006 Boston Marathon
Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi, Olympic Marathon silver medalist and American
10,000 meter record holder, is set to compete April 17
BOSTON, MA - January 10, 2006 - In its 21st year as the major sponsor of
the Boston Marathon, John Hancock Financial Services announced the entry of
two-time American Olympian and U.S. 10,000 meter record holder Mebrahtom
"Meb" Keflezighi for the 110th running of the race.
"The Boston Marathon is internationally recognized and has a great
tradition, and I know there will be high expectations for me," Meb
Keflezighi said. "I always 'run to win.' It is the motto that I live by."
Keflezighi (Kef-lez-ghee) joins John Hancock's elite team with outstanding
accomplishments and the fastest marathon run by an American in 2005. A
13-time U.S. national champion on the track, roads and cross country, the
UCLA graduate has competed on seven World Championship and two Olympic
teams.
After securing a position on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon team,
Keflezighi went on to win the U.S. 10,000m Olympic Trials. Although he
qualified for two events, he chose to focus solely on the marathon in
Athens and trained arduously at altitude in Mammoth Lakes, California. The
hard work and dedication paid off as Keflezighi ran the strategic race of
his life against the world's best runners. His silver medal was the best
showing by an American since Frank Shorter's 1976 silver medal performance.
Remarkably, only 70 days later, he finished second in New York with a
personal best 2:09:53 and proved he is one of the most versatile and
dominant runners in the world today.
"Meb is a great competitor, and he will contend for the victory," said Guy
Morse, Executive Director of the Boston Athletic Association, which
organizes the marathon. "He is in the top tier internationally, and we are
thrilled John Hancock was able to secure one of America's best male
distance runners to compete at Boston this year."
Also the national record holder in the 10,000m (27:13.98), Keflezighi's
credentials extend beyond the marathon. He won the U.S. 10,000m Olympic
Trials in 2000 and finished 12th in that event in Sydney. He has ranked as
the top American in events including the 5,000m, 10,000m, 12km
cross-country, 15km, and 20km.
Find the latest news and information about the Boston Marathon at
www.marathon.jhancock.com/marathon.
About Manulife Financial and John Hancock
John Hancock is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading
Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19
countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in
Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States,
the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products
and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees,
agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife
Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$360 billion (US$310 billion) as at
September 30, 2005.
Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE,
and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the
Internet at www.manulife.com.
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MEBRAHTOM KEFLEZIGHI
San Diego/Mammoth Lakes, California, U.S.
AGE: 30 (5/5/75)
PERSONAL BEST: 2:09:53 (New York, 2004)
BOSTON MARATHON HISTORY: Debut
ADDITIONAL MARATHON HIGHLIGHTS:
11/06/05 ING New York City Marathon 3rd 2:09:56
11/07/04 ING New York City Marathon 2nd 2:09:53
08/29/04 Olympic Marathon, Athens 2nd 2:11:29 Silver Medal
02/07/04 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 2nd 2:11:47
ADDITIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
06/23/05 U.S. 10,000m Championships 2nd 28:10.57
07/09/04 U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000m 1st 27:36.49
03/13/04 U.S. 15km Championships 1st 43:19
03/27/04 U.S. 8km Championships 1st 22:16
09/01/03 U.S. 20km Championships 1st 58:57
03/30/03 IAAF World Cross Country 11th 37:16
06/21/02 U.S. 10,000m Championships 1st 27:41.68
03/09/02 U.S. 15km Championships 1st 42:48
05/04/01 Cardinal Invitational 1st 27:13.98 American Record
09/25/00 Olympic 10,000m, Sydney 12th 27:53.63
07/14/00 U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000m 1st 28:03.32
CAREER NOTES:
A man with a mission, Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi's list of accomplishments,
like his running style, is simply: bold. He's a two-time Olympian, the
American record holder in the 10,000m, and a 13-time national champion
(four 15km titles, three 10,000m, two 8km, two 12km cross country, one 5km
and one seven mile). A member of seven World Championships teams and a
four-time NCAA champion while attending UCLA, Keflezighi (Kef-lez-ghee) is
one of the most versatile and dominant track and road racers in America
today. Going to the Olympics in 2000, Keflezighi placed 12th in the 10,000m
finals while battling the flu. The next go-round, with experience and
health on his side, he cruised to a silver medal finish in the marathon,
the best showing since Frank Shorter's 1976 silver medal.
In the U.S. in 2005, Track & Field News ranked him number one in the
marathon and number two in the 10,000m. His third place 2:09:56 at New
York, where he challenged world record holder Paul Tergat of Kenya until
the closing miles, was the fastest marathon by an American this year. His
runner-up finish on the track at the U.S. 10,000m Championships shows he
can burn the turns as well.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Keflezighi began running at age 12 and competed with two of his brothers at
San Diego High School where he won three state titles his senior year. At
UCLA, running for his current coach Bob Larsen, Keflezighi earned four NCAA
titles and a BA in communications. Keflezighi immigrated to the United
States with his family in 1987 from the East African country of Eritrea
(after living in Italy for two years). He has five brothers and five
sisters and recently married Yordanos Asgedom. The couple lives in San
Diego and in Mammoth Lakes, where Keflezighi trains at altitude with Team
USA. "I always 'run to win,'" says Keflezighi. "It is the motto that I
live by. This means that as long as I try my best in the preparation and
actual race, I am satisfied with my effort." Keflezighi says he likes
running because it is a fair sport. "Everyone starts and finishes at the
same place. There are no substitutes, no timeouts. You get out of running
what you put into it."
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