Press Release - Berlin Marathon - 2/15/07

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                   Contact: Thom Gilligan
                                            (617) 242-7845
                                            Patrice Malloy
                                            (760) 635-2833


   Benita Johnson will run Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON on April 1st

Australia’s marathon record holder Benita Johnson will run the 27th 
Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON on 1st April. The 27 year-old is the first 
major signing for the biggest German half marathon. More prominent names 
are expected to be released soon. Organisers of SCC-RUNNING have registered 
already more than 10,000 entries for the race. Adding skaters, wheelchair 
athletes, handbikers and walkers about 20,000 participants are expected to 
take part in the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON. 

We are happy to have signed Benita Johnson, a true world-class runner, for 
the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON. We are at present negotiating with 
managers of other elite runners and hope to be able to present a strong 
elite field again”, Race Director Mark Milde said. Benita Johnson had 
sensationally won the long distance event of the World Cross Country 
Championships in 2004 in Brussels. A year earlier she had placed third at 
the World Half Marathon Championships. 

Last year Benita Johnson improved the Australian record to 2:22:36 when she 
finished third at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. This was as well an 
area record for Oceania. The mark she broke was that of famous marathon 
runner Lisa Martin-Ondieki (Australia), who had run 2:23:51 in Osaka back 
in 1988.

So far Benita Johnson has a half marathon personal best of 67:55 minutes. A 
personal best as well as another Australian record could be her goal when 
running the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON. The national record from 
Kerryn McCann currently is just seven seconds faster than Benita Johnson’s 
personal best. The race in Berlin on 1 st April will be her dress rehearsal 
for the Flora London Marathon on 22nd April.

More information as well as online registration is available 
at:www.berliner-halbmarathon.de. 

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