Pro Fields for This Weekend's 10th BAA Half-Marathon Announced

Boston, Mass. – The Boston Athletic Association today announced its field of elite athletes for the 10^th Annual B.A.A. Half Marathon on Sunday, October 10, 2010. The men’s and women’s list, as of today, is attached to this release.

The men’s professional field is highlighted by 20-year-old Kenyan Alan Kiprono and 25-year-old Julius Kogo, also from Kenya, both of whom are riding a wave of road racing success into Sunday. Kogo’s personal best of 1:02:09 is 11 seconds ahead of Thomas Nyariki’s 2007 course record (1:02:20), while Kiprono’s fastest is 1:02:38. The women’s professional field is highlighted by Caroline Rotich of Kenya. Her personal best of 1:10:23 is 34 seconds ahead of the 2003 course record (1:10:57) set by Marie Davenport of Ireland. Locally, David Bedoya of the Greater Boston Track Club and who resides in Somerville, Mass. and Lara Johnson of the B.A.A. and who currently resides in Natick, Mass. may be the top finishers from the Boston area and both project to be among the top American finishers. Top finishers in the open, masters and push-rim wheelchair divisions will vie for a total prize purse of $30,000.

In the Wheelchair Division, five-time champion and course record-holder Tony Nogueira returns to compete for his sixth win at the B.A.A. Half Marathon, and fourth consecutive title. On the women’s side, 2007 Champion Jackie Kapinowski of Point Pleasant, New Jersey returns to vie for her second win in Boston.

“The B.A.A. Half Marathon has matured into one of the most highly-anticipated road running events of the season on an annual basis,” said B.A.A. Executive Director Guy Morse. “Professional and recreational athletes alike – all 6,000 entrants – will enjoy a course runners have come to know as one of the most scenic in town. Combined with the fall foliage starting to set in, it will be a great day for running.”

The B.A.A. Half Marathon starts and finishes at White Stadium in Boston’s Franklin Park, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on 10-10-10. Among New England’s most popular road races, the B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund since 2003, includes long portions along the Emerald Necklace park system and a running tour of the Franklin Park Zoo.

10^th B.A.A. Half Marathon^® Top Runners (as of 10/4/10)

Race Day is this Sunday, October 10, 2010

MEN’S OPEN

Bib #     Name                            Citizenship                    Personal Best

1          Alan Kiprono                  Kenya                           1:02:38 (Berlin, 2010)

2          Julius Kogo                   Kenya                           1:02:09 (Parkersburg, 2010)

3          Linus Maiyo                   Kenya                           1:02:40 (Philadelphia, 2005)

4          Lani Rutto                     Kenya                           debut

5          John Korir                      Kenya                           1:00:47 (Milan, 2004)

6          Elkanah Kibet                Kenya                          debut

7          Tyler McCandless          Boulder, CO                  1:05:02 (San Francisco, 2010)

8          Colin Leak                     Chadds Ford, PA           debut

9          Chris Erichsen               St. Paul, MN                 1:06:52 (Houston, 2009)

10         Matt Thull                      Milwaukee, MA              1:07:34 (Boston, 2009)

5813     David Bedoya                Somerville, MA 

WOMEN’S OPEN

Bib #     Name                            Citizenship                    Personal Best

F2        Caroline Rotich              Kenya                           1:10:23 (Columbus, 2009)

F3        Janet Cherobon              Kenya                          1:10:59 (Indianapolis, 2010)

F4        Jane Kibii                      Kenya                           1:12:26 (Carlsbad, 2009)

F5        Sallie Ford                     Lynchburg, VA               debut   

F15       Lara Johnson                 Natick, MA       

MEN’S WHEELCHAIR

Bib#      Name                            Citizenship

31         Gary Brendel                 Sterling, MA

32         Patrick Doak                 Carlisle, MA

33         Tony Nogueira               Point Pleasant, NJ

34         Mike Psaledas               Manchester, NH

1016     Timothy Kelly                  Weymouth, MA

WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR

Bib#      Name                           Citizenship

F26       Jacqui Kapinowski         Point Pleasant, NJ

F27       Carla Trodella                Newburyport, MA