Ryan Hall and Moses Mosop Both Pull Out of 2013 Boston Marathon

Boston Scrambles and Add’s Dubai Winner Lelisa Desisa

by LetsRun.com
March 13, 2013

The field for the 2013 Boston Marathon just took a big hit as Moses Mosop and Ryan Hall – two of the biggest names in the field – both pulled out.

Mosop, who ran 2:03:06 in Boston in 2011, “sustained a calf injury that has prevented necessary speed-work preparation.” The Boston press release said “Hall missed crucial training due to a quadriceps strain.”

To make up for their withdrawals, Boston has added in 2013 Dubai winner Lelisa Desisa who ran 2:04:45 in his debut in January.

picture of Ryan Hall Ryan Hall enjoying Boston in 2011
*More 2011 Boston Marathon Photos

Speaking of the Boston press release, we’re not sure if we’ve ever seen a more misleading press release than the one sent out today by John Hancock which included the Hall and Mosop pull-outs. The title of press release was “John Hancock Financial Announces 2013 Boston Marathon Online Media Guide Is Now Live” as if that was the important info in the release. You can read the whole release below but it’s almost as if they thought they could hide the fact that Hall and Mosop pulled out by barely mentioning it.

Article continues below player.

We’ve recently thought about starting a section on LetsRun entitled “Ridiculous running press releases” where we were going to focus on misleading college releases like one where a team loses a dual meet and a press release will say “John Doe University second at track meet.”

The college releases are consistently misleading but this Boston one belongs in the misleading Hall of Fame.

As for Hall, he’s no doubt been struggling of late. Last summer, he did not finish the Olympic marathon. He then pulled out of the ING New York City Marathon as his training wasn’t going well and now he pulls out of Boston. On twitter, Hall said the following, “Heart breaking to have to pull out of Boston. Want to thank all my sponsors and supporters for sticking by me through it all.”

Press release is pasted below.

More: Messageboard Discussion: Ryan Hall pulls out of Boston
Messageboard Discussion: Will Ryan Hall ever commit to and finish another marathon?

John Hancock Financial Announces 2013 Boston Marathon Online Media Guide Is Now Live

Company Also Updates Field List For John Hancock Elite Athlete Team 

BOSTON, MA, March 13, 2013—John Hancock Financial, in partnership with the Boston Athletic Association, today announced that the 2013 Boston Marathon Online Media Guide is now live at http://www.johnhancock.com/bostonmarathon/mediaguide/index.php.

In other marathon related news, Wesley Korir, the 2012 Boston Marathon champion, has become a Member of Parliament Elect in Kenya. In addition, Guor Maker (formerly Marial) became a U.S. citizen in February and will now hold dual citizenship with South Sudan.

The company also updated its Field List for the John Hancock Elite Athlete Team. Additions to the elite field include Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene, Lelisa Desisa Benti, and Laban Korir.

  • Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene set a course record in Paris last year before finishing runner-up in Berlin in a personal best 2:21:19. This past January, she won the Dubai Marathon and has finished on the podium in ten career marathons.
  • Lelisa Desisa Benti made his marathon debut in Dubai this year and won the race in 2:04:45. A young talent, Benti won the 10,000m at the African Junior Athletics Championships in 2009 and won the gold medal in the half marathon at the All-Africa Games in 2011.
  • Laban Korir was runner-up in Amsterdam in 2011, finishing in 2:06:05. He ran the Boston Marathon last year and placed sixth.

Cancellations in the women’s field include Asefelech Mergia Medessa and Karolina Jarzynska due to lack of fitness.

Cancellations in the men’s field include Moses Mosop, Ryan Hall, Shami Dawit, Eric Gillis and Lucas Rotich due to injury. Mosop sustained a calf injury that has prevented necessary speed-work preparation. Hall missed crucial training due to a quadriceps strain.

An updated field list follows.

2013 John Hancock Elite Athlete Team

 

117th Boston Marathon   April 15, 2013

 
 MEN Personal Best Time Country
Lelisa Desisa Benti 2:04:45 (Dubai, 2013) Ethiopia
Gebregziabher Gebremariam 2:04:53 (Boston, 2011) Ethiopia
Markos Geneti 2:04:54 (Dubai, 2012) Ethiopia
Levy Matebo 2:05:16 (Frankfurt, 2011) Kenya
Dickson Chumba 2:05:46 (Eindhoven, 2012) CR Kenya
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot 2:05:52 (Boston, 2010) Kenya
Laban Korir 2:06:05 (Amsterdam, 2011) Kenya
Wesley Korir 2:06:13 (Chicago, 2012) Kenya
Raji Assefa 2:06:24 (Paris, 2012) Ethiopia
Abdihakem ‘Abdi’ Abdirahman 2:08:56 (Chicago, 2006) USA
Mebrahtom ‘Meb’ Keflezighi 2:09:08 (Houston, 2012) USA
Jeffrey Hunt 2:11:00 (Beppu, 2010) Australia
Jason Hartmann 2:11:06 (Chicago, 2010) USA
Fernando Cabada 2:11:53 (Houston, 2012) USA
Guor Maker (formerly Marial) 2:12:55 (San Diego, 2012) NR USA/South Sudan
Robin Watson 2:13:37 (Rotterdam, 2012) Canada
Micah Kogo Debut Kenya
WOMEN Personal Best Time Country
Meseret Hailu Debele 2:21:09 (Amsterdam, 2012) CR Ethiopia
Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene 2:21:19 (Berlin, 2012) Ethiopia
Mamitu Daska 2:21:59 (Frankfurt, 2011) Ethiopia
Rita Jeptoo 2:22:04 (Chicago, 2012) Kenya
Sharon Cherop 2:22:39 (Dubai, 2012) Kenya
Madai Pérez 2:22:59 (Chicago, 2006) NR Mexico
Alemitu Abera Begna 2:23:14 (Houston, 2012) CR Ethiopia
Tetiana Gamera-Shmyrko 2:23:58 (Osaka, 2013) Ukraine
Kara Goucher 2:24:52 (Boston, 2011) USA
Shalane Flanagan 2:25:38 (OT Houston, 2012) CR USA
Ana Dulce Félix 2:25:40 (NYC, 2011) Portugal
Yolanda Caballero 2:26:17 (Boston, 2011) Colombia
Sabrina Mockenhaupt 2:26:21 (Berlin, 2010) Germany
Diana Chepkemoi Sigei 2:26:53 (Dubai, 2011) Kenya
Serena Burla 2:28:27 (Seoul, 2012) USA
Stephanie Rothstein-Bruce 2:29:35 (Houston, 2011) USA
René Kalmer 2:29:50 (Yokohama, 2011) RSA
Diane Nukuri-Johnson 2:30:13 (London, 2012) NR Burundi
Alissa McKaig 2:31:56 (Houston, 2012) USA
NR=National Record CR=Course Record

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial

John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife Financial, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$532 billion (US$535 billion) as at December 31, 2012. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com

For more information about the Boston Marathon:

www.johnhancock.com/bostonmarathon/index.html                        Twitter @jhboston26

www.baa.org                                                                     Twitter @bostonmarathon

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