Powerful International Field Expected at 2012 ING New York City Marathon
New York City
Including two-time race champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos, Morocco’s two-time Olympian Abderrahime Bouramdane, Great Britain’s Olympic marathoner Scott Overall and three-time Olympian Kayoko Fukushi, 2011 runner-up Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia, national record holders Valeria Straneo of Italy and Adriana Da Silva of Brazil set for November 4 race
NEW YORK – (September 19, 2012) – Two-time race champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil and three-time Olympian Kayoko Fukushi of Japan will add fierce competition to the already stacked men’s and women’s fields in the 2012 ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 4. Joining Gomes dos Santos in the men’s race will be Olympic marathoners Abderrahime Bouramdane of Morocco and Great Britain‘s Scott Overall. 2011 runner-up Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia and national record holders Valeria Straneo of Italy and Adriana Da Silva of Brazil will add to the women’s field, it was announced by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.
Nationally, the telecast will be available on ESPN2, online at WatchESPN.com, and for fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app. Locally, New Yorkers can watch the race on WABC-TV and 7online.com.
Previously announced runners for the men’s race include 2009 race champion Meb Keflezighi (USA), 2010 champion Gebre Gebremariam (Ethiopia), Olympic bronze medalist Wilson Kipsang (Kenya), 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon winner Moses Mosop (Kenya), four-time U.S. Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, 2012 Boston Marathon fourth-placer Jason Hartmann (USA), and 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials fifth-placer Brett Gotcher.
In the women’s race, previously announced runners include 2012 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Tiki Gelana (Ethiopia) and bronze medalist Tatyana Arkhipova (Russia), defending champion Firehiwot Dado (Ethiopia), 2010 champion Edna Kiplagat (Kenya), 2012 Boston winner Sharon Cherop (Kenya), New Zealand Olympian Kim Smith, 2012 U.S. Olympians Julie Culley (debut), Amy Hastings and Janet Bawcom and top U.S. contenders Michelle Frey, Alisha Williams, Serena Burla and Molly Pritz.
“We are honored to attract such a dominant international pro field for the 2012 ING New York City Marathon,” said Wittenberg. “Many of these runners grace us year-after-year, and we always welcome their boundless talent and ability to undoubtedly ‘wow’ us.
Marilson Gomes dos Santos and Kayoko Fukishi are dedicated competitors that will surely challenge the men’s and women’s field. Likewise, we look forward to hosting Olympians Abderrahime Bouramdane and Scott Overall, and Buzunesh Deba will be a test to the women’s contest after placing second last year – it is going to be a phenomenal race day.”
MEN
Gomes dos Santos, 35, of Brazil, is a two-time winner of the ING New York City Marathon (2006, 2008). This will be his sixth appearance in the race. He is the South American record-holder at 5000 and 10,000 meters and the half-marathon. Gomes dos Santos won the 2011 South American Half-Marathon Championships in Buenos Aires last September, and he placed fourth at the 2011 Virgin London Marathon in a personal-best 2:06:34.
Bouramdane, 34, of Morocco, has twice placed in the top five at the ING New York City Marathon. He is a two-time Olympian and the fifth-fastest Moroccan in history with his personal-best time of 2:07:33, which he ran at the 2010 Virgin London Marathon.
Overall, 29, of Great Britain, is a 2012 Olympian. He ran a personal-best 2:10:55 at the 2011 BMW Berlin Marathon. Overall set his half-marathon personal best of 1:01:25 at the 2011 NYC Half.
Solonei Rocha Da Silva, 30, of Brazil, is the 2011 Pan American Games gold medalist and has a personal best of 2:11:32. He also won the São Paulo Marathon in June in 2:12:25-four minutes ahead of the runner-up.
WOMEN
Fukushi, 30, of Japan, is a three-time Olympian and the Japanese record-holder at 3000 and 5000 meters and the half-marathon. She is also the Asian 15K record-holder. She set a personal best of 2:24:38 at the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
Straneo, 36, of Italy, holds the Italian record of 2:23:44, which she set at the 2012 Rotterdam Marathon. She finished eighth at both the 2012 London Olympic Marathon (2:25:27) and the 2011 BMW Berlin Marathon (2:26:33).
Da Silva, 31, of Brazil, won the 2011 South American Half-Marathon Championships in Buenos Aires last September. She was the 2011 Pan American Games Marathon gold medalist and ran a Brazilian record of 2:29:17 at the 2012 Tokyo Marathon last February.
Deba, 30, of Ethiopia, who currently resides in the Bronx, NY, was the 2011 ING New York City Marathon runner-up in a personal-best time of 2:23:19. She won both the 2011 Los Angeles Marathon and the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon, where she broke the course-record.
Eri Okubo, 29, of Japan, is a fast-rising marathoner with a personal best of 2:26:08, set at the 2012 Tokyo Marathon.
Ana Dulce Félix, 29, of Portugal, is the 2012 European Championships 10,000-meter gold medalist and a two-time European Cross Country Championships medalist. She finished fourth at the 2011 ING New York City Marathon.
Hilda Kibet, 31, of the Netherlands, is a 2012 Olympic marathoner and was the 2008 European Cross Country Champion. She won the 2007 NYC Half and the 2008 NYRR New York Mini 10K.
Jelena Prokopcuka, 35, of Latvia, is a two-time ING New York City Marathon champion (2005-06).