FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Elite Field Announced for 19th Tri-City Medical Center
Carlsbad Marathon & Half
Three defending race champions - Korir, Kibii, Cooper-Scott - lead another
sold-out field for San Diego-area event
CARLSBAD, Calif. - (January 19, 2011) - Three defending race champions and
an international contingent of elite athletes will lead a sold-out field of
10,000 participants in the Sunday, Jan. 23rd Tri-City Medical Center
Carlsbad Marathon & Half Marathon, announced In Motion, Inc., the event
organizer.
With Brian Baker, last year's defending marathon champion, currently
studying Middle Eastern history in Jordon, it will be open season for a
victory in the men's marathon. Kenyan Samuel Rotich Chemerisia will be
toeing the start line with Tesfaye Bedada and Dejene Regassa, both of
Ethiopia and Shingirai Badza of Zimbabwe. All three own sub-2:13 marathons.
On the women's side, Haley Cooper-Scott of Spokane, Wash. will return to
defend her 2010 title that she clinched in a time of 2 hours, 57 minutes,
20 seconds. A formidable 2011 challenger will be Mary Akor of Hawthorne,
Calif. who holds a marathon PR of 2:33:50. A U.S. citizen since 2003, the
Nigerian-born sensation clocked an astonishing, unprecedented 11 qualifying
times for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and, to-date, has nailed
four qualifying performances for the 2012 Olympic Trials. Emily Belli, 33,
of San Diego brings a 2:52:34 PR and potential podium finish to the field.
Headlining the men's half-marathon pro field is Kenyan Wesley Korir, 28,
the two-time defending champion who claimed his 2009 and 2010 victories in
1:02:45 and 1:04:04, respectively. Korir, who also won the 2009 and 2010
Los Angeles Marathon (2:08:24 and 2:09:19), will line up with Mario Macias,
29, of Mexico and countrymen Macdonard Ondara, Patrick Kiptum, David Tuwei
and Joseph Ekuom. Other African contenders include Ethiopians Girma Tola
(1:01:26 PR), Demesse Tefera and Ezkyas Sisay, who won the 2010 America's
Finest City Half Marathon in 1:03:58.
The women's half-marathon field will feature Kenyans Jane Kibii, the
two-time defending race champ, and Everlyne Lagat, last year's runner-up.
Ethiopian contenders Misiker Mekonin Demissie and Hirut Mandefro are
expected to keep the Kenyan women on their toes. Demisse, who has
previously competed under the name Teyba Naser, holds a 1:10:21
half-marathon PR and placed second at the 2010 Honda LA Marathon.
The 26.2 and 13.1 mile courses will take participants through Carlsbad
Village, along historic Pacific Coast Highway and past numerous Carlsbad
points of interest. Twenty-seven live bands and spectacular views of the
Pacific Ocean, sandy beaches and picturesque lagoons will entertain and
motivate the runners.
The race weekend also includes the Health and Fitness Expo and Kids
Marathon Mile. The Kids Marathon Mile is set for 8:00am on Saturday, Jan.
22, at LEGOLAND® California, located at One LEGOLAND Drive in Carlsbad.
Geared for children age 12 and under, this one-mile, noncompetitive,
age-staged run/walk winds through the LEGOLAND theme park. A Diaper Dash,
entertainment and other fun activities will take place on the main event
stage immediately following the kids' races.
The Health and Fitness Expo will feature vendors, interactive displays,
free samples and bargains on apparel and equipment. Free and open to the
public, the Expo is also where all marathoners and half-marathoners pick up
their timing tag, bib number, T-shirt and goodie bag. The Expo will be held
on Friday, Jan. 21 (2:00 - 6:00pm), Saturday, Jan. 22 (10:00am - 5:00pm)
and Sunday, Jan. 23 (7:00am - noon) under a big top tent at Westfield Plaza
Camino Real, located at 2525 El Camino Real in Carlsbad.
For more information on the Tri-City Medical Center Carlsbad Marathon &
Half Marathon, visit: www.carlsbadmarathon.com
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