Gebre Gebremariam and Werknesh Kidane Added To 2010 Falmouth Road Race

FALMOUTH, Mass. -- The CIGNA Falmouth Road Race continues to add world-class runners to the field for the 38^th running on Aug. 15.

Elite athlete co-coordinator John Carroll has announced that two exceptional Ethiopians, Gebre Gebremariam, 25, and his wife, Werknesh Kidane, 28, will both be running their first Falmouth.

"They were scheduled to run Falmouth in the past but various things got in the way,” said Carroll.

“Gebre had an impressive 27:56 win at the Peachtree Road Race on July 4. He will be up against the second, third and fourth place finishers at Peachtree: Peter Kirui, Lelisa Desisa and Stephen Kosgei. Gebremariam also won at the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K in Central Park this year, and placed fourth at 5000 meters in the 2004 Olympics.

Werknesh is a former World Cross Country champion and World Championship silver medallist at 10,000 meters. She was third at the New York Roadrunners Club Mini 10K in June, and won the Great Manchester Run 10K in England.

Dejene Berhanu and his wife Ayelech Berhanu are also planning to run Falmouth. Dejene was scheduled to run here in 2009, but eye surgery forced him to cancel.  He was fifth in the 2004 Olympic Games 10,000 meters, and has won the Carlsbad 5K, Boulder Bolder 10K and the Great North Run.  He is rounding into excellent condition and hopes to be able to challenge his personal best of 59:37 for a half-marathon in the fall.

Ayelech is a developing athlete expecting to add to her resume in Falmouth.

"We are also hoping to add the 2010 Boston Marathon women's winner, Teyba Erkesso of Ethiopia, who won a very close Boston in 2:26.11," said Carroll. It would be her first Falmouth, and she will face some tough competition.

Rebecca Donaghue of State College, Pa., who was second here in 2009, would very much like to move into the winner's position.  Four-time Falmouth champion and Olympic silver medallist Catherine Ndereba will be looking to win her fifth Falmouth title.  But the two toughest women in the race may be Molly Huddle, former Notre Dame All-American, who just ran the fourth fastest U.S. women's 5,000 meters on the track in Paris last month; and Wude Ayelew Yimer, of Ethiopia.  Yimer was 12th in Falmouth in 2007, and ran well in 2009, placing third at the World Championship 10,000 meters and third in the 3,000 meters.

Race officials were disappointed this week when they were told that the two defending champions, Tilahun Regassa and Mamitu Daska, both from Ethiopia, will not be returning. "Tilahun is injured and Mamitu needs to rest and get back to training for her fall racing schedule" said Carroll.

Falmouth will also have Olympic gold medallists Frank Shorter and Joan Samuelson, and four-time Boston and New York marathon winner Bill Rodgers. Shorter has won Falmouth twice, Rodgers three times and Samuelson six times.

CIGNA is now in its fifth year as the title sponsor. More than 2,000 volunteers provide the support system for race weekend. Proceeds from the race support youth athletic programs in the town of Falmouth and other nonprofit community groups.