The Top Two Women’s Marathoners in the World, Priscah Jeptoo and Edna Kiplagat, To Clash At 2013 ING New York City Marathon – Kara Goucher Is Out With Injury
Lisa Stublic Is America’s #1 Hope, But She Competes For Croatia
by LetsRun.com
September 19, 2013
With Mary Keitany out on maternity leave and Olympic champion Tiki Gelana a shadow of last year’s self (16th in London, DNF in Moscow), most would agree that the top two women’s marathoners right now are Kenyans Priscah Jeptoo and Edna Kiplagat.
Those two will clash for second time this year at the 2013 ING New York City Marathon on November 3rd it was announced today when the New York Road Runners released their full elite fields.
In the spring at the Virgin London Marathon, it was Jeptoo who came out on top as she blitzed the second half in 68:16 to win in 2:20:15 to Kiplagat’s 2:21:32. Both Jeptoo and Kiplagat have reason to be confident right now. In addition to her win over Kiplagat in London, Jeptoo just ran a 65:45 half-marathon last weekend, missing Paula Radcliffe‘s fastest ever time of 65:40 by just five seconds. Kiplagat, can take confidence from the fact that she’s won in New York before (2010) and she just became the first woman to repeat as world champion in the marathon as she won in Moscow in August.
If they are on their game, it’s hard to think that Jeptoo or Kiplagat doesn’t win but the field also includes the reigning champion from 2011 (2012 New York was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy) in Ethiopia’s Firehiwot Dado who often runs well in New York. In addition to her 2011 win in New York when Mary Keitany went out at a suicidal pace, Dado also set her half-marathon pb of 68:35 in New York in 2012.
Jeptoo (c) got the best of Kiplagat (r.) in London earlier this year. 2013 London Photos.
Fellow Ethiopian Bezunesh Deba, who was the runner-up to Dado in 2011, is also in the field as is 2013 Osaka champ Tetyana Gamera-Shmyrko of the Ukraine, who was 5th in the 2012 Olympics, and 2012 Osaka champ Risa Shigetomo of Japan.
The American entrants for the 2013 had been announced for race in July and the leading entrant was supposed to be former New York third placer Kara Goucher, but it came out today that the 35-year old Goucher is out with a foot injury. As a result, the US charge will be led by sub 2:30 performers Amy Hastings, Adrianna Nelson and Janet Bawcom.
Actually, the top US citizen in the race is very likely to be former Columbia University runner Lisa Stublic. Stublic, who was born and raised in Connecticut, has really excelled as a professional. In college, she was never even an Ivy League champion (she was a one-time All-American in cross country in 2005 when she was 33rd) as she was overshadowed by the likes of Caroline Bierbaum, Delilah DiCrescenzo and Anna Willard, but now Stublic is a 2:25 marathoner (MB: Columbia grad Lisa Stublic wins Zurich marathon in 2:25:44)
How come you’ve likely never heard of her? Well she got good after having a ‘quarter-life crisis’ and moving to Croatia where her father was from and she competes for them so she doesn’t get the publicity a 2:25 American normally would receive.
LetsRun.com’s quick take analysis and then the full 2013 ING New York City Marathon elite women’s field appear below.
Quick Take #1: #1 versus #2 up front is something worth getting excited for.
The winner between Jeptoo and Kiplagat has to be ranked #1 on the year. Jeptoo, who is 29, has to be considered the favorite. She’s won 5 of 6 races this year, with her only loss being a 66:11 half-marathon she ran in February which is still VERY good. In addition to her London win, she also got Olympic silver last year.
Kiplagat is 34 and has won three of five races with her only loss besides the London marathon being at the Kenyan Police cross country champs where she was edged by Lucy Kabuu.
QT #2: It’s a shame last year’s race was cancelled.
We bet you didn’t realize that last year’s race was going to include the women who went 1-2-3 at the 2013 Moscow World Championships. Edna Kiplagat, Italy’s Valeria Straneo and Japan’s Kayoko Fukushi.
QT #3: Is the end near for Goucher?
If she’s motivated, at age 35, she’s probably got a few good marathons left in her but it doesn’t get any easier the older you get.
| 2013 ING New York City Elite Women’s Field | |||
| Elite Women | Marathon Personal Best | Twitter Handle | 2013 Highlights or Lowlights |
| Edna Kiplagat (KEN) | 2:19:50, London, 2012 | 2nd in London, first at World Champs in 2013 (and 2011). | |
| Priscah Jeptoo (KEN) | 2:20:14, London, 2012 | 1st at London, 1st at Great North Run in stellar 65:45. | |
| Jelena Prokopcuka (LVA) | 2:22:56, Osaka, 2005 | 2:25 for 4th in Nagoya. 36-year old hasn’t broken 2:25 since 2006. 70:14 at Bupa Great North run on 9/15. | |
| Firehiwot Dado (ETH) | 2:23:15, New York, 2007 | No marathons this year. 69:46 in San Diego in June. | |
| Buzunesh Deba (ETH) | 2:23:19, New York 2011 | 2nd in Houston (2:24:56) in January. 4th Peachtree, 6th Beach to Beacon. | |
| Tetyana Gamera-Shmyrko (UKR) | 2:23:58, Osaka, 2013 | 30 year old won Oasaka in January in 2:23:59. 5th at 2012 Olympics. | |
| Risa Shigetomo (JPN) | 2:23:23, Osaka, 2012 | No results we can find for 2012. 2012 Osaka champ. | |
| Christelle Daunay (FRA) | 2:24:22, Paris, 2012 | 38-year old French national record holder was 10th in 10,000 in Moscow. No marathon finishes in 2012 or 2013. | |
| Kim Smith (NZL) | 2:25:21, London, 2010 | @Kimsmithnz | Injured and missed Moscow 10,000. 69:00 half in February, 15:02 5000 in May. 31:46 in April. |
| Ana Dulce Felix (POR) | 2:25:40, New York, 2011 | 13th in Moscow 10,000. 9th in Boston Marathon (2:30:05). | |
| Lisa Stublic (CRO) | 2:25:44, Zurich, 2013 | @LisaStublic | Former Columbia University runner has set pbs at 3000 (9:29), 10k (32:58), Half (69:18 NR), and Marathon 2:25:44 for win in Zurich. As good as she’s running, she might be America’s #1 if she’d stayed with the USA. |
| Sabrina Mockenhaupt (GER) | 2:26:21, Berlin, 2010 | @RunningMocki | 10th in Boston (2:30:09), DNF in Moscow 10,000. 15:32 5000. |
| Amy Hastings (USA) | 2:27:03 | @HastyHastings | 14th in Moscow World Champs. 15:09 5000 pb. |
| Adriana Nelson (USA) | 2:28:52 | @adi_nelson | 33 yr old has run 71:09 and 71:19 for half this year. |
| Adriana Da Silva (BRA) | 2:29:17, Tokyo, 2012 | 32-year old ran 2:31:44 for 11th in London. 74:19 for half on 9.8.2013. | |
| Janet Bawcom (USA) | 2:29:45 | @janetruns | 4th at Cherry Blossom (10 miler – 53:28), 8th Peachtree, 1st USA 15k (49:44). 12th NYC Half in 71:13. |
| Diane Nukuri-Johnson (BDI) | 2:30:13, London, 2012 | @dnjbdi | NYRR has her pb wrong. It’s 2:29:54 from Boston this year where she was 8th. |
| Alisha Williams (USA) | 2:34:58 | @alirunnerco | 15:09 5000 pb at Stanford, 2nd US 15k (50:01), 11th at 20k (72:35) on 9/2/2013 |
| Yolanda Caballero (COL) | 2:35:10, Boston, 2013 | @YolandaAtleta | 14th in Boston in 2:35.10. 70:30 13.1 pb in NY on 3/17. Just 74:48 in Philly on 9/15. |
| Mattie Suver (USA) | 2:50:23 | @suver2 | 7th at US cross, 26th at World xc. 71:56 half in June. 2nd at USA 20k on 9/2 in 70:25. |
| Julie Culley (USA) | Debut | @julieculley | Just 15th at USAs in 5k. 76:28 in Philly on 9/15. |
More: Men’s Race: Geoffrey Mutai, the fastest marathoner in history, to battle World and Olympic champ Stephen Kiprotich and Ryan and Meb at 2013 ING New York City Marathon
*MB: Discussion of New York City Marathon elite fields – Mutai vs. Kiprotich (plus Meb and Ryan) and Jeptoo vs. E. Kiplagat – No K. G
*MB: Kara Goucher OUT of 2013 New York City Marathon
*NYRR Press Release on 2013 International Field for 2013 ING New York City Marathon.
*July Press Release: Americans Meb Keflezighi, Ryan Hall, and Kara Goucher Running 2013 ING New York City Marathon