by Larry Eder
TOP NAMES FOR CHICAGO
CHICAGO (USA): The Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced its full elite athlete field for the event’s 35th running on October 7. Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede tops a stacked roster of athletes hungry for a breakthrough performance on Chicago’s international stage, while the women’s field welcomes, among others, Werknesh Kidane of Ethiopia, coming off a fourth-place finish in the 10,000-meter race at the London Olympics. These athletes join previously announced 2012 Boston Marathon champion and Chicago runner-up Wesley Korir of Kenya, three-time U.S. Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein, and three-time defending champion Liliya Shobukhova of Russia. Kebede will be joined by countrymen Feyisa Lilesa, the 2011 World Championship bronze medalist; 2:05 performers Dadi Yami and Shami Dawit; 2012 Paris Marathon runner-up Raji Assefa; and Tilahun Regassa in his highly anticipated debut. Kenya’s Levy Matebo is the fastest entrant in the field, with a 2:05:16 performance at the 2011 Frankfurt Marathon. The Kenyan contingent also includes 2012 Tokyo Marathon champion Michael Kipyego, 2011 Chicago Marathon runner-up Bernard Kipyego, 2011 Amsterdam Marathon runner-up Laban Korir, 2012 Lake Biwa Marathon champion Samuel Ndungu, and Sammy Kitwara, the fifth-fastest half marathon performer of all time. A strong group of Japanese men is led by Takashi Horiguchi, who cracked the top 10 in Chicago last fall and ran a personal best of 2:09:16 at the Lake Biwa Marathon in February. In addition to 2:19 performer Lucy Kabuu, the Kenyan women will be represented by former Boston Marathon champion Rita Jeptoo and Caroline Rotich. Shobukhova will be joined by Russian teammate Maria Konovalova, the third-place finisher from the 2010 Chicago Marathon. Along with Ritzenhein, the top U.S. entrants include Notre Dame University All-American and 2010 U.S. Half Marathon runner-up Patrick Smyth; California’s Jimmy Grabow, who ran 2:12:35 in his debut at the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in January; 2:13 athletes Jeffrey Eggleston of Arizona and Patrick Rizzo, a Chicago native; and Oregon’s Craig Leon. Recent U.S. 20K champion and 11-time NCAA All-American Renee Metivier Baille of Oregon headlines the U.S. women in her marathon debut. She’s joined by fellow debutant Stephanie Pezzullo, and U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon qualifiers Deanna Ardrey and Addie Bracy. Organizers are writing in a release.
