2011 BAA Boston Half Marathon, has strong field, release, note by Larry Eder

 Monday, October 3, 2011

Talented fields to compete for $30,000 prize purse in

B.A.A. Half Marathon^® presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund on 10.9.11

 World class runners head to Franklin Park for the 11th annual 13.1-mile race.

Boston, Mass. - The Boston Athletic Association today announced its field of elite athletes for the 11^th annual B.A.A. Half Marathon on Sunday, October 9, 2011. The men's and women's list, as of today, is attached to this release. The B.A.A. Half Marathon starts and finishes at White Stadium in Boston's Franklin Park beginning at 8:30 a.m., and has been annually presented by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Jimmy Fund since 2003.

The men's field is highlighted by two past winners. Defending champion and 35-year-old John Korir of Kenya will square off against fellow Kenyan and 2007 champion Samuel Ndereba on Sunday. Korir's winning time of 1:02:21 in 2010 is tied with Ndereba's 2007 runner-up performance as the second fastest in event history. Also in the hunt will be 14-time NCAA All-American Sam Chelanga. The former standout at Liberty University made his professional debut in June at the B.A.A. 10K, where he finished third. This will be his first half marathon.

The women's field is highlighted by defending champion Caroline Rotich of Kenya. Her 2010 B.A.A. Half Marathon time of 1:10:23 set an event record by 34 seconds, surpassing Marie Davenport's 2003 time of 1:10:57. The second and third place finishers from 2010, Janet Cherobon-Bawcom of Georgia and Jane Kibii of Kenya are also in the mix. Cherobon-Bawcom is coming off of a strong summer on the roads, having won the 20K and 10-mile championship within the past month.

"For elite athletes and recreational runners alike, the B.A.A. Half Marathon has grown into one of the most popular races of the season," said B.A.A. Executive Director Tom Grilk. "Since its beginning in 2001, it's been a priority of our organization to attract world-class athletes and a wide range of competitive and recreational athletes to the beautiful Emerald Necklace park system for our event. With nearly 7,000 athletes ready to run on Sunday, we hope their experience is one they remember fondly."

In the past two editions of the B.A.A. Half Marathon, the men's race has come down to the final stretch. In 2009, Martin Fagan of Ireland held off Philemon Terer of Kenya to win by three seconds, and last year's photo finish between Korir and countryman Alan Kiprono remains the event's closest yet, with both men finishing less than a second apart.

Fernando Cabada of Boulder, Colorado enters the race as the top American male, while New Englanders Katie Dicamillo, Katie Bowser, and Heather Cappello will vie for the top American position with Cherobon in the women's race. Top finishers in the open and masters divisions will vie for a total prize purse of $30,000.

In the Men's Wheelchair Division, defending champion Gary Brendal of Sterling, Massachusetts will face stiff competition from five-time champion Tony Noguiera of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, who last won the race in 2009.

Elite Athletes                                                                         (as of 10/3/11)

MEN'S OPEN

Bib #     Name                                        Citizenship                    Personal Best

1          John Korir                                  Kenya                           1:00:47 (2004)

2          Samuel Ndereba                        Kenya                           1:01:51 (2006)

3          Sam Chelanga                           Kenya                           debut

4          John Itati                                   Kenya                           1:02:04 (2004)

5          Ali Abdosh                                Ethiopia                        1:04:26 (2010)

6          Elkanah Kibet                            Kenya                           1:04:24 (2011)

7          Gilbert Okari                              Kenya                           1:01:26 (2009)

8          Fernando Cabada                       Boulder, CO                  1:02:32 (2011)

10         Timothy Ritchie                          Boston, MA                   1:07:49 (2010)

WOMEN'S OPEN

Bib #     Name                                        Home                            Personal Best

F1        Caroline Rotich                          Kenya                           1:08:52 (2011)

F2        Janet Cherobon-Bawcom            Rome, GA                     1:10:59 (2010)

F3        Jane Kibii                                  Kenya                           1:10:23 (2011)

F6        Heather Cappello                       Arlington, MA                1:15:04 (2010)

F7        Kathleen Dicamillo                     Providence, RI               debut

F8        Diana Bowser                            Needham, MA               1:13:13 (2001)

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of managing athletic events and promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.'s Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock Financial.