9 years ago
04/04/2011 1:18pm CDT
Yea, too bad NYC and Boston cannot get anyone better than 2:09 or so.
2010 NYC
Abderrahime Bouramdane Morocco
· Personal best: 2:07:33
· Finished fifth in NYC in 2008 and ’09 · 2008 Olympian
Gebre Gebremariam Ethiopia
· Ran a 1:00:25 half-marathon in September · Making his marathon debut
Haile Gebrselassie Ethiopia
· Marathon world record-holder (2:03:59)
Marilson Gomes dos Santos Brazil
· Personal best: 2:08:37 · 2006 and 2008 ING New York City Marathon champion
· Fastest half-marathoner in the Western Hemisphere (59:33)
Abderrahim Goumri Morocco
· Personal best: 2:05:30
Peter Kamais Kenya
· 2010 NYC Half-Marathon champion (59:53)
· Has run 27:09 for 10K · Making his marathon debut
Abel Kirui Kenya
· Personal best: 2:05:04
· Reigning World Marathon Champion
· Making his ING New York City Marathon debut
Gilbert Kirwa Kenya
· Personal best: 2:06:14
· Won the Frankfurt and Vienna marathons in 2009
James Kwambai, Kenya
· Personal best: 2:04:27
· Third-fastest marathoner of all time
· Has a half-marathon personal best of 59:09
Emmanuel Mutai Kenya
· Personal best: 2:06:15
· Runner-up at the 2010 Virgin London Marathon
· Runner-up at the 2009 World Championships Marathon
Hendrick Ramaala, South Africa
· Personal best: 2:06:55
· ING New York City Marathon champion, 2004
Viktor Röthlin Switzerland
· Personal best: 2:07:23
Boston:
John Hancock Financial, the longtime supporter of the elite section of the Boston Marathon, announced today one of the event's strongest fields, including both defending champions, Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot of Kenya and Teyba Erkesso of Ethiopia. By the numbers, the field includes 14 men who have broken 2:08 (seven with sub-2:07 times), and 15 women who have broken 2:27 (eight sub-2:24).
The core of the Boston field comes from Africa's two powerhouse marathoning nations, Kenya and Ethiopia. In addition to defending champions Cheruiyot and Erkesso, the Boston field features Kenyans Geoffrey Mutai (2:05:55 PB), Gilbert Yegon (2:06:18), Evans Cheruiyot (2:06:25), Sylvester Tiemet (2:06:49), Sharon Cherop (2:22:43), Salina Kosgei (2:23:22), Caroline Kilel (2:23:25), and Alice Timbilili (2:25:03) and Ethiopians Tadese Tola (2:06:31), Bekana Daba (2:07:04), Tekeste Kebede (2:07:23), Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene (2:22:44), Merima Mohammed (2:23:06), and Dire Tune (2:23:44). Both Kosgei (2009) and Tune (2008) are Boston Marathon champions.
