FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PAST CHAMPIONS RETURN TO MINNESOTA TO HEADLINE
MEDTRONIC TWIN CITIES MARATHON FIELD
October 5th race will serve as USA Men's and Masters Marathon Championship,
attracting a national field of professional runners vying for a prize purse
of over $300,000
(Minneapolis, MN) – Past Twin Cities Marathon Champion Dan Browne (2002),
along with defending USA Masters Champions Tracy Lokken and Susan Loken,
are set to return to compete for $302,000 in prize money at the 27th Annual
Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday, October 5th.
Olympian Dan Browne headlines a strong men's field that will compete for
the USA Men's Marathon Championship. The field features over 20 runners
that qualified for last November's Olympic Trials Marathon, including 6
runners who finished in the top 25. In addition to Browne's 6th place
finish, that list includes Mike Morgan (12th), Fasil Bizuneh (13th),
Christopher Raabe (16th), Chad Johnson (20th) and Josh Ordway (21st).
Adding to the depth of the field is Fernado Cabada, the American 25K
record-holder and Justin Young, who lowered his personal best by over five
minutes to 2:13:54 at the Rotterdam Marathon in April. This year's race
will also be the debut marathon for Ryan Sheehan, Celedonio Rodriguez,
Antonio Vega and Josh Moen, all who've run sub-1:05 half marathons.
In the women's race, Mary Akor could become the first woman to win
Grandma's Marathon and Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in the same calendar
year. Akor's biggest challenge could come from Russians Silvia Skvortsova
and Olga Glok. Not only does Skvortsova have the best time in the field
(2:27:07), she's the only woman that has run sub-2:30 in the last five
years – a feat she has accomplished in seven of the last eight years.
While Glok has yet to break 2:30, she did run 2:31:12 in Istanbul and
2:30:40 in Paris within the last year. In addition, 10 women who ran in
the Olympic Trials Marathon in April add depth to the field.
For the 18th consecutive year, the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon will be
the host of the USA Masters Marathon Championship. Susan Loken of Phoenix
is the three-time defending champion on the women's side. Loken looks to
be challenged by three other women who qualified for the Olympic Trials
Marathon, Meghan Arbogast, Susan Empey and Doreen Manske. Also looking to
make a splash, in her marathon debut, is Jody Hawkins. Hawkins is familiar
with Loken, having finished two seconds behind her earlier this year at the
More Magazine Half Marathon in 1:20:16.
2007 USA Masters Champion Tracy Lokken returns to defend his title. Other
top runners in the field include a couple of newly minted Masters in John
Ashton and Carl Rundell, along with Paul Aufdemberge, John Mirth and 2004
USA Masters Marathon Champion Dennis Simonaitis.
2008 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Elite Field Top Competitors (as of
9/16/08)
Men's Open Top 10
Last Name First Name Age City State PR Marathon
Browne Dan 32 Portland OR 2:11:35 Twin Cities
Cabada Fernado 26 Gray TN 2:12:27 Fukuoka
Young Justin 28 Boulder CO 2:13:54 Rotterdam
Downin Matthew 31 Madison WI 2:14:35 New York City
Sawe Simon 34 Santa Fe NM 2:13:40 Grandma's
Johnson Chad 32 R. Hills MI 2:15:03 Chicago
Morgan Mike 28 R. Hills MI 2:15:11 Chicago
Leslie Brandon 32 Albuq. NM 2:15:21 Chicago
Ordway Josh 28 Fairborn OH 2:15:39 Austin
Bizuneh Fazil 28 Flagstaff AZ 2:16:47 Olympic Trials
Women's Open Top 10
Last Name First Name Age City State PR Marathon
Akor Mary 32 Hawthorne CA 2:39:34 Olympic Trials
Skvortsova Silvia 33 Russia 2:27:07 London
Glok Olga 27 Russia 2:30:40 Paris
Youngquist Deeja 31 Albuq. NM 2:29:01 Chicago
Old Beth 34 Marietta GA 2:39:16 Grandma's
Kireeva Elza 29 Miami FL 2:33:43 Ottawa
Pawelek Kim 34 Jacksville FL 2:37:58 Twin Cities
Fryburg Kristen 27 Broomfield CO 2:42:27 Grandma's
Olson Johanna 29 Corvallis OR 2:43:30 Olympic Trials
Michael Becki 25 Fairborn OH 2:43:43 Austin
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