June 26th: Olympic Marathoners Shalane Flanagan, Amy Cragg to run B.A.A. 10K

Press Release
June 20, 2016

BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association announced today that Olympic Marathoners Shalane Flanagan and Amy Cragg will return to Boston to compete in the sixth annual B.A.A. 10K, presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, on Sunday, June 26. Flanagan and Cragg will race the B.A.A. 10K as part of their preparation for the Olympic Marathon in Rio de Janeiro, where they will comprise two of the three members of the American team.

“We are extremely pleased and honored that Shalane and Amy have decided to race in Boston as part of their preparation for the Olympic Marathon,” said B.A.A. Executive Director Tom Grilk. “Shalane and Amy are two fan favorites in our sport, and they will have the city’s support behind them as they race along the fast course through Boston.”

Flanagan, a four-time Olympian and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist on the track, has run the Boston Marathon three times. A native of Marblehead, Mass., Flanagan finished fourth in 2013 (2:27:08), sixth in 2014 (2:22:02), and ninth in 2015 (2:27:47). Flanagan’s 2:22:02 time from 2014 ranks as the fastest Boston Marathon ever by an American woman.

Cragg also participated in the 2015 Boston Marathon, though was unable to finish. Earlier this year she won the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles, finishing in 2:28:20 to qualify for her second Olympic team. In 2012, Cragg represented Team USA at the London Olympics, finishing 11^th in the 10,000m.

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“It’s not often that [Olympic] marathoners get the opportunity to race, but the scheduling of the B.A.A. 10K is perfect for their Rio preparation,” said Jerry Schumacher, who coaches both Flanagan and Cragg in Portland, Ore.

Flanagan and Cragg lead the American charge in Boston for the B.A.A. 10K, presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Fellow American Olympians Dathan Ritzenhein and Abdi Abdirahman also will be competing.

The 2016 B.A.A. 10K, presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, will feature one of the strongest fields in race history, bringing together Boston Marathon champions, Olympians, and international stars on the roads of Boston. Reigning Boston Marathon champion Atsede Baysa, Boston Marathon course record holder Geoffrey Mutai, and B.A.A. 10K defending champions Daniel Salel and Mary Wacera all will return aiming for the top spot of the podium at the B.A.A. 10K. The elite field can be found below.

The B.A.A. 10K, presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, begins on Sunday, June 26, at 8:00 a.m. EDT on Charles Street between Boston Common and the Public Garden. The 6.2-mile course is a flat, fast tour through Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Following the start on Charles Street, the race turns onto Boylston Street and Arlington Street, then winds down picturesque Commonwealth Avenue and Bay State Road as far west as Babcock Street near Boston University. Participants then head back on Commonwealth Avenue, under the iconic Boston Strong sign, around the Public Garden, and finish on Charles Street. Registration for the B.A.A. 10K, presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, remains open. For more information on the B.A.A. 10K, please visitwww.baa.org.

ELITE ATHLETE FIELD (as of June 20, 2016)