Irish Olympian Mark Carroll Returns to New York Marathon 05

Irish Olympian Mark Carroll Returns to the ING New York City Marathon 2005

NEW YORK - (August 1, 2005) - Mark Carroll, a two-time Irish Olympian and the national record-holder at 3000, 5000, and 10,000 meters, will join a star-studded international field at the ING New York City Marathon 2005 on Sunday, November 6, it was announced today by New York Road Runners.

ING New York City Marathon race director and New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg joined Carroll on an international teleconference call to make the announcement.

"For nearly a decade we watched as Mark ruled the track," said Wittenberg. "But with his marathon debut here in 2002, when he finished sixth in 2:10:54, it became clear he has the potential to be a star at the marathon distance as well. Injuries have kept him from finishing another marathon since then. We look forward to finally seeing Mark's potential realized this November."

Carroll's race in New York in 2002, which he has called "one of the most memorable and satisfying efforts" of his career, is his only marathon finish to date. Injuries forced him to drop out of the 2004 Flora London Marathon and prevented his return to the ING New York City Marathon until this year.

Carroll, 33, a member of Ireland's 2000 and 2004 Olympic teams, holds his country's national records at 3000 meters (7:30.36, Monaco, 1999), 5000 meters (13:03.93, Berlin, 1998), and 10,000 meters (27:46.82, Stanford, 2000). He has represented Ireland at 5000 meters in four consecutive IAAF World Track & Field Championships.

An NCAA champion while competing for Providence College in Rhode Island in the mid-1990s, Carroll continues to reside in Providence. He will marry two-time U.S. Olympian Amy Rudolph in October.

Carroll joins ING New York City Marathon defending champion Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa and Meb Keflezighi of the United States, the 2004 runner-up and the Olympic marathon silver medalist, as part of a field that promises to be one of the strongest in the race's 36-year history.

source RunningUSA