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Champions Set to Defend Titles at
2004 Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - (May 24, 2004) - Now in its seventh year
and still recognized as the fastest marathon west of the Mississippi,
the Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon once again presents an impressive
elite invitational field. The race hits the streets of San
Diego on Sunday, June 6, 2004 and will welcome back both the
men's and women's defending champions from last year.
Expect an exciting battle on the men's side as 2003 winner
Ondoro Osoro returns in defense of his title. Last year saw
Osoro use a wild sprint to the finish as he crossed the line
just two seconds ahead of countryman Peter Chebet and posted
the third fastest time in race history, 2:09:38. Joining him
this year will be Ethiopian star Belay Wolasha, winner of
the 2000 Suzuki race, along with another musical marathon
standout, 23-year-old Kenyan Jomo Kororia, champion of the
2003 Country Music Marathon and runner-up at the 2004 P.F.
Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon.
Also highlighting the field will be 1996 Olympic marathon
champion Josia Thugwane of South Africa. His winning effort
made him the first black South African to win a medal at the
Games. The fastest time in the field belongs to Osoro, who
ran a 2:06:54 when he won the 1998 Chicago Marathon in his
debut.
There will be no shortage of fierce competition on the women's
side as the champion, third and fourth place finishers from
2003 return. Irina Bogacheva, from Kyrgyzstan, is a regular
visitor to the Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and will be vying
for her third title after winning in 1999 and 2003. She finished
second in '98, third in '02 and fourth in '01 and enters with
a personal best of 2:26:27.
Svetlana Demidenko of Russia was third last year at 2:30:34
and Kenya's Anatasia Ndereba was right behind at 2:30:53.
Ndereba hails from a strong running family as her older sister,
Catherine, won the 2004 Boston Marathon in April. The fastest
time in the field, 2:24:46, belongs to Russian Madina Biktagirova
who finished fifth in the marathon at the 2000 Olympic Games.
"It's exciting to have the champions return from last
year, along with so many other familiar faces," said
Mike Long, elite athlete coordinator for the marathon. "We've
had such competitive fields over the last six years and it's
always gratifying when the runners return for another shot
at the title."
All runners' eyes will be on the grand prize as a valuable
purse is on the line with the men's and women's winners each
earning $10,000 and a Suzuki product package valued at $60,000.
Course record bonuses are also offered, as $5,000 will be
awarded to the first male and female to lower the current
mark. Kenya's Philip Tarus owns the men's course record as
he clocked a 2:08:33 in 1999. Recent New York City Marathon
winner Margaret Okayo has the women's time at 2:25:05, set
in 2001.
Following the elites will be over 20,000 participants running
and walking along a scenic course lined with more than 40
live bands, 40 spirited high school cheerleading squads, 5,000
volunteers and thousands of encouraging spectators. The course
starts in historic Balboa Park, runs through the Gaslamp Quarter
and downtown districts, loops around Mission Bay and Sea World
and completes its course at a finish line festival in the
Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Point Loma.
For more information on the Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon,
contact Elite Racing, Inc., 5452 Oberlin Drive, San Diego,
CA 92121, visit www.RnRmarathon.com
or call (858) 450-6510.
2004 Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Elite
Field
As of May 24, 2004
MEN
Name/Age/Country/PR/Highlight
1. Ondoro Osoro, 36, (KEN), 2:06:54, 1st 03 RNRM, 1st 98 Chicago
Marathon
2. Belay Wolasha, 34, (ETH), 2:10:57, '00 RNRM Champion
3. Jomo Kororia, 23, (KEN), 2:11:07, 1st '03 CMM, 2nd 04 P.F.
Chang's RNR AZ
4. Tekeste Kebede, 24, (ETH) 2:20:16, 5th '03 Cherry Blossom
5. George Okworo, 25, (KEN), 2:15:38, 1st '03 Mexico City
Marathon
6. Isidoro Martinez, 29, (MEX), Debut, 63:54, 7th '03, Monterrey
Half Marathon
7. Paul Kirui, 24 (KEN), Debut, 60:52, Half PR, 1st '04 Berlin
Half
8. Ben Kimondiu, 26, (KEN), 2:08:52, 3rd '04 Tokyo Marathon
9. Shadrack Hoff, 32, (RSA), 2:14:02, 6th '02 World Champs
Half Mara
10. Josia Thugwane, 33, (RSA), 2:07:28, 1996 Olympic Marathon
Gold Medalist
11. Stephen Ndungu, 37, (KEN), 2:09:54, 5th '03, 2nd '02,
2nd '01 Suzuki RNRM
12. David Kirui, 26, (KEN), 2:08:53, 1st '04 LA Marathon
13. Joseph Ngolepus, (KEN), 2:07:57, 3rd '03 London Marathon
14. Silvestor Moleko, 33, (RSA), 2:15:28, 1st '04 McCarthy
Toyota Half Marathon
15. Abraham Assefa, 32, (ETH), 2:13:16, 3rd '02 Hartford Marathon
Pacemakers: Godfrey Kiprotich, Joseph Kariuki, Peter Chebet
WOMEN
1. Irina Bogacheva, 43, (KGZ), 2:26:27, 1st '03 Suzuki RNRM
& '03 CMM
2. Anatasia Ndereba, 29, (KEN), 2:29:03, 4th '03 Suzuki RNRM
3. Svetlana Demidenko, 28, (RUS), 2:29:56, 3rd '03 Suzuki
RNRM
4. Margaret Atodonyang, 25, (KEN), 2:29:21, 2nd '03 RNR Half,
3rd '03 Amsterdam
5. Irina Safarova, 35, (RUS), 2:29:20, 2nd '02 Suzuki RNRM
6. Alevtina Ivanova, 29, (RUS), 2:29:05, 2nd '03 Nagano Marathon
(PR)
7. Madina Biktagirova, 29, (RUS), 2:24:46, 5th '00 Olympic
Marathon
8. Tatiana Titova, 38, (RUS), 2:31:12, 3rd '03 CMM
9. Olga Kovpotina, 34, (UKR), 2:27:37, 2nd '03 CMM
10. Violetta Uyrga, 35, (POL), 2:34:44, 1st '04 Mumbai Marathon
Pacemaker: Victoria Klimina, 28, (RUS), 2:28:30, 9th '03
Osaka Ladies Marathon
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