Where Your Dreams Become Reality

Main Front Page

What's Let's Run.com?

SAVE ON SHOES

Training Advice

World Famous:
Message Board

Turn Back The Clock!
Today's Top Runners Talk About Their High School Careers

Opinions
Miler Scott Anderson's Journal

Wejo Speaks

Rojo Speaks

JK Speaks

LetsRun.com Privacy Policy

Contact Us

Advertise on LetsRun.com 
Click Here for More Info

 

Geti Wami to Run Both Berlin and NYC Marathons Hoping to Win World Marathon Majors
By David Monti
(c) 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

NEW YORK (18-Sep) -- Gete Wami already has three Olympic medals, but the 32 year-old Ethiopian is facing a unique challenge this fall which rivals winning an Olympic title: winning the first World Marathon Majors (WMM) series and the $500,000 prize which goes with it.

Wami will be lining up at the start of the real,- Berlin Marathon on Sept. 30 the heavy favorite for victory.  Should she defend her title from last year when she ran a national record 2:21:34, she would be awarded 25 points in the both the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 WMM series championships.  That would put her in sole possession of first place in the 2006/2007 series with 65 points, ten more than current leader Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia.

Then, 35 days later, Wami plans to start the ING New York City Marathon where she will face Prokopcuka, the two-time defending New York Champion.  If Prokopcuka wins the race, scoring 25 points, she will be named series champion no matter what place Wami comes in even in the scenario where she they both have 80 points (ties are broken based on head-to-head meetings).  However, if Wami defeats Prokopcuka she will win the $500,000 winner-take-all jackpot.

"Gete's decision to take aim at the World Marathon Majors crown a mere five weeks after Berlin didn't surprise me," commented New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg in a prepared statement. "She's a tough, seasoned, wily competitor who knows how to prepare and how to run to win.  While most others would be on vacation five weeks after a marathon, I expect Gete to be in the hunt for gold."

Wami's challenge is far greater than just beating Prokopcuka.  The women's field in New York also features newly crowned world champion, Catherine Ndereba of Kenya (2:18:47 PB); last year's IAAF World Road Running Championships runner-up, Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania (2:21:30); the reigning Boston Marathon champion, Lydia Grigoryeva of Russia (2:25:10); last year's runner-up at New York, Tetyana Hladyr of Ukraine (2:25:44); and the runner-up in Berlin last year, Salina Kosgei of Kenya (2:23:22).

"It will be a 'who's who' of champions on our start line," Wittenberg added.

The winner in New York will receive $130,000 in cash plus a Toyota Prius automobile valued at $23,000.

The WMM title will be awarded the day after the ING New York City Marathon in a special ceremony here.  Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya, with 75 points, is expected to win the men's title.


Tell a friend about this article
(Dont worry we won't email your friend(s) again. We send them a 1 time email)
Enter their email address(es), separated by a comma.
Enter your name:

Don't Worry: We
Back to Main Front Page
Questions, comments or suggestions?Please email the LetsRun.com staff at suggestions@LetsRun.com.

Save on Running Shoes



Running & Track and Field Posters


Unbelievable interest
ING Orange Savings Account

Sponsor of the NYC Marathon
ING Orange
5 Minute Process to Open an Account
No Minimum Deposit


Search the Web
or LetsRun.com
Google

Web

LetsRun.com