Wesley Korir to Run 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
By Bank of America Chicago Marathon
May 2, 2012
CHICAGO - The Bank of America Chicago Marathon today announced that Wesley Korir, the newly crowned Boston Marathon champion, will return to
run Chicago's fall classic for the fifth consecutive year. Korir is the
first elite athlete announced for the 35th running of the Bank of
America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 7.
Korir, a native of Kenya who attended the University of Louisville in
Kentucky and still lives and trains there, was runner-up at the 2011
Bank of America Chicago Marathon in a personal best 2:06:15. Even with
his world-class performance in Chicago, Korir was a relative underdog
this spring when he executed a perfect race plan in challenging
conditions at the Boston Marathon, rallying from nearly a minute behind
the race leader with five miles to go to win his first Major marathon in
stunning fashion.
With two L.A. Marathon victories to his credit, Korir has a storied
history at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. After paying his own
way into the open field at the 2008 event, he started the race five
minutes behind the elite athletes, yet still managed to record the
fourth-fastest time of the day, catching and passing all but a few
members of the elite field before posting a finish time of 2:13:53. The
following year, Korir was invited back to Chicago as an official member
of the elite field and placed sixth overall in 2:10:38. In 2010, he
improved once again to fourth place overall in 2:08:44 before his
break-through performance in 2011 that served as the springboard to his
defining win in Boston. After the biggest victory of his career, Korir
enters the 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon with his eye on the top
level of the podium.
"We're thrilled to welcome Wesley back to the Bank of America Chicago
Marathon for the fifth year in a row, no doubt with a little more
fanfare this year after his well-earned victory at the Boston Marathon,"
said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski. "Wesley has proven that
he's one of the best marathon runners in the world, but I am far more
impressed by his humble nature and perseverance. He literally started
his marathon career with the masses and now he's at the pinnacle of the
sport. He's a true success story."
"The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is where I started my professional
career and I am honored to return to this year's race, especially after
winning the Boston Marathon," said Korir. "I love the city of Chicago.
It's close to Louisville and I always have a large group of friends who
drive up to cheer for me, which makes me feel at home along with the
support from the local fans and volunteers. I come to the Bank of
America Chicago Marathon this year full of confidence that no matter who
is in the field, they will have to beat me to win it."
About the 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Celebrating its 35th year and a member of the World Marathon Majors, the
Bank of America Chicago Marathon annually attracts 45,000 participants,
including a world-class elite runner and wheelchair field, and an
estimated 1.7 million spectators. As a result of its national and
international draw, each year, the iconic race assists in raising
millions of dollars for a variety of charitable causes while generating
$170 million in economic impact to its host city according to a report
by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Regional Economics
Applications Laboratory (R.E.A.L.). The 2012 Bank of America Chicago
Marathon will start and finish in Chicago's Grant Park beginning at 7:30
a.m. on Sunday, October 7. In advance of the race, a two-day Health
& Fitness Expo will be held at McCormick Place Convention Center on
Friday, October 5, and Saturday, October 6.
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