New York City Marathon 2012 - Women's Bios

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New York City Marathon 2012 - Women's Bios
By Sharon Ekstrom

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun
Sharon Cherop
Age: 28
Country: KEN
PB: 2:22:39, 2012 Dubai Marathon
Sharon Cherop will be running the 2012 New York City Marathon for the first time. Fresh off her victory of the 2012 Boston Marathon in unusually warm conditions (2:31:50), Cherop who was third at the 2011 Boston Marathon (2:22:42) is becoming a stronger runner. Cherop recently won the 2012 Rock N Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon.

No stranger to the marathon this Kenyan debuted in the distance at the 2007 Twin Cities Marathon in 2:38:45 (3rd place), the Kenyan slowly saw improvements with the 2008 Country Music Marathon (2:39:52, 4th)and 2008 Nairobi Marathon (2:33:53, 3rd). Cherop's strength in the 26.2 began to improve, culminating in two marathon victories in 2010 - Hamburg Marahon (2:28:38) and Toronto Waterfront Marathon (2:22:43). She was ready to take on the world's best women and headed for Boston.

At the 2011 edition of the Boston Marathon, Cherop held fast to the leaders ; but faded when Davila and Kilel threw surges in the last few miles of the race. Cherop held strong and finished 3rd in 2:22:42. As a result. Cherop was selected to represent Kenya at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu where she won bronze under the hot humid conditions (2:29:14), contributing to the Kenyan victory of the women's marathon event.

In 2012 along with some shorter cross country races, Cherop ran a personal best at the 2012 Dubai Marathon in 2:22:39 (7th place). At the 2012 Boston Marathon Cherop set the pace early in the race and seemed to lead the pack throughout the 26.2 miles right to the finish.

Why? Cherop has consistently made improvements in the marathon through the years. With her consistent performances and speed, she may have an opportunity to win her first title in her first time at the 2012 New York City Marathon.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun
Tatyana (Petrova) Arkhipova
Age: 29
Country: RUS
PB: 2:23:29, 2012 London Marathon
Who is Tatyana Arkhipova? She's the bronze medalist from the 2012 London Olympic Marathon. While many recognize her from the track where she has collected accolades at competitions like the 2007 World Championships where she won silver and the 2008 Beijing Olympics where she was 4th.

But Arkhipova has been running the marathon since 2004. The 29 year old Russian first tackled the 2004 Honolulu Marathon where she was 5th (2:36:44) in her debut. In 2005 she improved her time at the Chicago Marathon with a 2:31:03 (8th place). Perhaps she realized that these times were not good enough to rival top tier elites, so she headed back to the track and focused on shorter road races for the next three years.

Arkhipova returned to the marathon distance in 2009 - first with the 2009 Dubai Marathon where she was 4th in a 2:25:53, a huge personal best by five minutes. Next, she headed to the Los Angeles Marathon which was her first marathon victory. She also ran the race in a 2:25:59, merely six seconds slower than her marathon four months earlier. After taking a hiatus from running in 2010, she returned in 2011 taking second at the Tokyo Marathon (2:28:56), 5th at the Berlin Marathon (2:25:01).

As the 2012 Olympics approached she seemed an unlikely candidate for the Russian Marathon team with top Russians who could run sub 2:22 like Shobukhova, Bogolomova, Petrova, Zakharova and Abitova out of contention, Arkhipova was given a chance. Her boding well in the field seemed a long shot since she was ranked 20th in the field, but after the mile 15 she came out of nowhere and in what seemed like a race dominated by three Kenyans and two Ethiopians, she caught the leaders and held onto third. Arkhipova ran a personal best of 2:23:29, another incredible personal best.

Why? Arkhipova is just starting to show her abilities in the distance. While there have always been at least one or two top Russian women in elite fields through the years, she will be the one to headline this year's marathon especially following her performance in London. While her racing calendar for 2012 has only two marathons, if she is recovered from the Olympics, she could easily be a major player at the 2012 New York City Marathon.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun
Kim Smith
Age: 30
Country: NZL
PB: 2:25:21, 2010 London Marathon
Kim Smith truly made a name for herself at the 2011 Boston Marathon. Despite never completing the race, this New Zealand national record holder in the marathon and in track from the one mile to the 10000m, did much of the work as an unofficial pacer taking the women out under course record pace. Making sure they never were too comfortable, she earned a solid lead in the initial miles of the Boston Marathon; so much so, that she was almost guaranteed victory had she been able to stay the course; but no one can predict the outcome of a marathon. She succumbed to injury at mile 17 - a torn soleus muscle in her right calf - and struggled to continue. She was soon caught by other women and could not finish; but her valiant efforts in this deep field were not and should not to be forgotten.

A strong contender on the track, Smith was a two-time Olympian from the Athens and Beijing Olympics in the 5000m and 10000m. She was 5th at the 2007 World Championships n the 10000m, 6th at the 2008 World Championships in the 3000m and 7th at the 2009 World Half-Marathon Championships. While her first attempt at distance at the 2008 New York City Marathon led to a DNF, she returned to the marathon at the 2010 London Marathon finishing in 2:25:21 (8th place), setting a national record in the marathon. She returned to New York in 2010 and ran a 2:29:28 (5th place).

While injuries following Boston hampered much of her summer track season, Smith worked on speed and hill reps and returned to racing and won the 2011 Rock 'N' Roll Philadelphia Half-Marathon in 67:11 - the fastest half-marathon ever run on US soil which beat her previous all-comers record of 67:36 from the 2010 Rock 'n' Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon. She ended the season with a 5th place finish at the 2011 New York City Marathon in a 2:25:46.

In 2012 her main focus was the 2012 London Olympics, but she managed some stellar half marathon performances at the 2012 New York City Half Marathon where she finished runner-up in 68:43, a mere 8 seconds behind the 2011 New York City Marathon champion. In the summer she ran a 68:37 at the 2012 Rock N Roll San Diego Half Marathon as a test of her fitness before the Olympic Games. But anything can happen in a marathon. It was not Smith's day at the 2012 London Olympics and she finished 15th in a 2:26:59.

Why? Decorated in the 3000m, 5000m and 10000m, on the track and the half and full marathons on the road, Smith's last ran the New York City Marathon in 2011 where she finished 5th in 2:25:46. While she had a lackluster performance at the 2012 London Olympics, she is capable of better performances. And despite the stroke of bad luck at the 2011 Boston Marathon, Smith could have a good day in New York and surprise us all.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun
Bizunesh Deba
Age: 25
Country: ETH
PB: 2:23:19, 2011 New York City Marathon
At 25, Buzunesh Deba has always been a road racer who specializes in the half marathon and marathon distances. She also ran road races ranging from the 5K to half marathon throughout that year, collecting victories at many. With eleven career marathons since her debut at the 2009 Quad Cities Marathon in 2:44:22, Deba is a prolific marathoner who followed her debut victory with another marathon closer to home only one month later - at the 2009 New York City Marathon (2:35:54, 7th place). Then after another short one month recovery, Deba ran to victory at the 2009 California International Marathon (2:32:17) in December.

If that wasn't a lot of racing, Deba ran five marathons in 2010 winning all but one - the 2010 New York City Marathon (2:29:55, 10th place). With her finish times improving, Deba ran her fastest finish at that time winning the Twin Cities Marathon in 2:27:24. She continued to collect additional victories at the 26.2 for Donna, Grandma's and California International Marathons.

Deba's success in the distance continued into 2011. And although she has scaled back on the number of marathons per year, she won the 2011 Los Angeles Marathon (2:26:34) and bettered her time at the 2011 Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon (2:23:31). She then returned to New York City Marathon ready to give the top competitors a run for their money.

Deba threw in strong surges against a New York City Marathon field that included many race champions and Half Marathon World Record Holder Mary Keitany. And while she seemed the clear cut winner of the race by mile 22, Firehiwott Dado pulled ahead slightly to win in the narrowest margin of victory the race has seen - four seconds. Although Deba has not raced yet in 2012, her potential in the distance has not fully been realized.

Deba was slated to run the 2012 Boston Marathon, but withdrew shortly before race day due to a foot injury.

Why? New York City is Deba's stomping ground. Deba has won 8 of 11 career marathons and will be returning to the New York City Marathon. With Firehiwott Dado out due to injury and many other top elites only three months out from the London Olympics Marathon; if Deba is in great shape, odds are in her favor.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun
Tiki Gelana
Age: 24
Country: ETH
PB: 2:18:58, 2012 Rotterdam Marathon
Tiki Gelana has been off the radar for some time. While the 25 year old Ethiopian mainly competes in half marathons and full marathons, her finishes averaged around the 2:30 mark when she began in the distance in late 2009 and throughout 2010. While her times had not been as noteworthy as other competitors who burst into the distance with times faster than 2:26, Gelana has finished 7 career marathons in the top 4.

She slowly made improvements and broke the 2:30 mark at the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon finishing in 2:28:28 (Former New York City Marathon Champion Edna Kiplagat won that year.). Gelana followed that up with a 4th at the 2010 Dublin Marathon (2:29:53) and a second place finish at a 10000m track meet in Addis Ababa.

Gelana took a year off from racing and returned to racing with a victory at the 2011 Amsterdam Marathon shaved one minute of her previous best finishing in 2:22:08. Gelana was on fire. She raced her first sub 70:00 half marathon winning a half marathon in Marugame in 68:48, she next went on to win the 2012 Rotterdam Marathon in a 2:18:58 setting a new Ethiopian women's marathon record and joining the ranks of four other women who have broken 2:19 (Paula Radcliffe, Liliya Shobukhova, Mary Keitany and Catherine Ndereba).

Gelana was the unlikely star of the 2012 London Olympics - in a race where two Kenyans were well favored over her - Mary Keitany (the half marathon world record holder) and Edna Kiplagat (the 2010 New York City Marathon Champion), Gelana even fell to the ground after tripping over a water bottle at mile 15. It didn't matter, because in the end she prevailed to win the race in 2:23:07.

Why? Gelana is the fastest in the field. Where Kenyan women have been dominating the elite race rosters in recent years with ultra-fast times, Gelana is newly arrived to the party. And in her first time running in New York, she can be sure that the other women know she will be in their sights.

photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun
Edna Kiplagat
Age: 33
Country: KEN
PB: 2:19:50, 2012 London Marathon
It's been an exhausting year for Edna Kiplagat, the 2010 New York City Marathon Champion and reigning World Marathon Champion, who is returning to the marathon distance three months after the 2012 London Olympic Women's Marathon. Tiring indeed considering four months prior to that at the 2012 London Marathon, she battled it out against Mary Keitany (the fastest woman currently in competion and Half Marathon World Record Holder). While Kiplagat ran a personal best of 2:19:50 at the London Marathon, she finished second in this first marathon back since a tumble at a fluid station during the 2011 World Championships caused an injury that made her unable to defend her title at the 2011 New York City Marathon.

Kiplagat (of no relation to distance runners Lornah or Florence Kiplagat) began her career as a top track athlete -collecting a silver and bronze Medalist in the 3000m at the 1996 and 1998 World Junior Championships. She became a road specialist in the new millennium making a name for herself with victories at highly competitive 10K and half marathon races. In the marathon distance, she worked to make great strides. Proof being victories of the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon. 2010 New York City Marathon and the 2011 World Championships.

She debuted at the 2005 Las Vegas Marathon in a 2:50:20 (10th place), not a top finish expected of an elite Kenyan. She focused on shorter distances on the roads until her breakthrough year in 2010, as she set personal bests at races such as the Steamboat 4 miler (1st place), Freihofer's 5K (2nd place), Peachtree 10K (3rd place), Boilermaker 15K (1st place). Not to mention two marathon victories in a last ditch effort to prove that she can be competitive in the 26.2 mile races.

At the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon, Kiplagat collected the prize purse plus an additional $100,000 bonus in the " L.A. Marathon Challenge" having not been lapped by the top male elites despite being given an 18 minute head start. Kiplagat was on fire. She headed to the 2010 New York City Marathon where she battled it out against two marathon debutantes - Keitany and American Shalane Flanagan - and won in 2:25:38.

At the 2011 London Marathon Kiplagat took on two of the fastest female marathoners at that time - Mary Keitany and Liliya Shobukhova - finishing third in a 2:20:46, a personal best by over five minutes! A few months later she represented Kenya in the marathon at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu earning gold. Despite the win, the injury she sustained at the water station forced her to take time off. No one was certain what to expect at the 2012 London Marathon where she would take on Keitany once again. Kiplagat, the only woman to have beaten Keitany, was the only woman to keep up with her until the 24 mile mark. While Kiplagat faded to second, she clocked a personal best of 2:19:50 making her the 5th fastest Kenyan female in the world.

With her London Marathon finish and her consistent talents in the marathon distance, Kiplagat was selected for the 2012 Kenyan Olympic Marathon team. Expectations were high for Kiplagat as they were for the Keitany/Kiplagat battle for the gold with many expecting that Kiplagat's strategy in the distance along with her ability to race without pacemakers would benefit her. What played out was unexpected. Kiplagat nearly tripped over another runners water bottle at the 15 mile mark and at 35K Kiplagat could not hold on to the surges from the leaders and eventually faded to 20th finishing in 2:27:52.

Why? While Kiplagat has worked her way to get to be one of the top marathoners in the world. Her notable performance at the 2012 London Marathon - entered her into the sub 2:20 marathon realm and earned her the Olympic berth for the Kenyan team. A seasoned marathoner who can pace well, doesn't take too many risks and has a strong finishing kick, Kiplagat can grab the New York City Marathon title once again if she is in full fitness.

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New York City Marathon 2012 - Women's Bios