Press Release - Boston Marathon - 6/7/11

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

              Boston Marathon Champions Joan Benoit Samuelson 
                and Bill Rodgers Running in the B.A.A. 10K

                   Inaugural Event to be held on June 26 
                 at Boston Common; Registration Remains Open

BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today announced that 
Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time Boston Marathon Champion Joan Benoit 
Samuelson, and four-time Boston Marathon Champion Bill Rodgers will compete 
in the inaugural B.A.A. 10K on June 26. 

Samuelson recently ran the 2011 Boston Marathon in a time of 2:51:29, 
winning the 50-54 age group division. Rodgers served as the grand marshal 
of the Patriots' Day race, and ran the race in 2009. 

"Joan and Bill are fixtures of running in New England, and especially 
within the history of the B.A.A. and our events," said B.A.A. Executive 
Director, Tom Grilk. "It's only fitting that we have these legends help us 
commence our newest race in Boston, the B.A.A. 10K. They are giants in our 
sport and it's a great pleasure to have them in our event."
 
Runner registration for the B.A.A. 10K remains open at www.baa.org. 

With her 1983 Boston Marathon performance, the 25-year-old Samuelson 
established a world record with a time of 2:22:43. In the 1984 Summer 
Olympics in Los Angeles, she won Olympic Gold with a time of 2:24:52. She 
remains one of just four Boston Marathon champions to have also won gold in 
the Olympic Marathon.

Bill Rodgers' success in Boston began in 1975 when he won his first Boston 
Marathon with a then-American record of 2:09:55. He won again in 1978 with 
a time of 2:10:13, and in the 1979 Boston Marathon improved his previous 
American record with a time of 2:09:27. It was the fastest of his four 
Boston victories, and the fourth-fastest marathon time ever recorded at the 
time. He won his fourth Boston in 1980 with a time of 2:12:11.

Samuelson's American best in Boston stood until this past April when 
Desiree Davila finished second with a time of 2:22:38 to Caroline Kilel of 
Kenya with a time of 2:22:36. Kilel is also entered into the inaugural 
event on June 26. A full list of elite athletes will be released later this 
month. 

The B.A.A. 10K includes a prize purse of $30,000 with $5,000 awarded to the 
winners and equally distributed among the top male and female finishers. 

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