FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kogo and Nukuri-Johnson Lead the Field
at the
39th Annual New Balance Falmouth Road Race
Moran and De Reuck to defend American Titles
Falmouth, Mass. – Micah Kogo, fresh off last weekend's 27:46 win at the
Beach to Beacon 10k, and Diane Nukuri-Johnson, winner of the Steamboat
Classic 4 Miler and the Quad City Times Bix 7 Miler will lead the field at
the New Balance Falmouth Road Race to be held Sunday, Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. A
field of 11,000 runners will race the scenic waterfront seven-mile course
winding from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights.
Kogo, 25, from Kenya is the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in the 10,000
meters, 2007 Falmouth winner and has bests of 27:01 (IAAF world best in
2009) in the 10k, 13:00.77 in the 5,000 meters and 26:35.63 in the 10,000
meters. Chasing him will be fellow countrymen, Edward Muge, 28, who was
third in Beach to Beacon, fifth in Falmouth last year and has bests of
27:52.09 in the 10,000 meters and Gilbert Okari, 31, who set the race
course record of 31:08 in 2000. Also, Canadian Simon Bairu, 28, with a
27:23 10,000 meter best, is making his Falmouth debut.
The American field will include defending champion Ed Moran, 30, of
Williamsburg, Va.; Abdi Abdirahman, 34, of Tuscon, Ariz., three-time
Olympian, four-time USA 10K champion with a 27:22.81 10,000 meter best;
Mohamed Trafeh, 26, of Tampa, Fla., with a half marathon best of 1:00:39;
Fasil Bizuneh, 31, of Indianapolis, Ind., the 2010 US 10-mile champion with
a 27:50.48 and 10,000 meter best; as well as Fernando Cabada, 29, of
Boulder, Colo., the US 25K champion in 1:15:41.
On the women's side, Nukuri-Johnson, 26, from Burundi, a 2000 Olympian in
the Sydney Games, will be challenged by Americans – Polish-born Magdalena
Lewy Boulet, 38, from Oakland, Calif., who was on the 2008 Olympic marathon
team and has a best of 31:48.58 in the 10,000 meters; Romanian-born Adriana
Nelson, 31, of Ft. Collins, Colo., second in the Steamboat Classic and
sixth place finishes in last month's Peachtree Road Race 10k as well as
Beach to Beacon; and two-time Falmouth winner Colleen De Reuck, 47, of
Boulder, Colo., who was fifth overall in 2010, and who will defend her
American and masters titles. Four-time Falmouth champion and two-time
Olympic Marathon silver medalist, Catherine Ndereba, 38, of Kenya will
return after finishing fourth in 2010 as will six-time Falmouth winner,
Olympic marathon gold medalist and crowd favorite, Joan Beniot Samuelson,
53, of Freeport, Maine, who was fourth master and 16th woman overall in
2010.
Defending and eight-time champion, Craig Blanchette, 43, of Battle Group,
Wash., leads the men's wheelchair field. Challengers include two-time
Falmouth winner and course record holder (23:35 set in 2008), Krige
Schabort, 47, from Cedartown, Ga.; three-time Falmouth champion, Tony
Nogueira, 43, from Glen Ridge, N.J.; two-time Falmouth champ, Patrick Doak,
43, from Carlisle, Mass. and Grant Berthiaume, 49, from Tuscon, Ariz.
Defending and four-time winner, Jessica Galli, 27, from Savoy, Ill., leads
the women's wheelchair field. She will be joined by Jacqui Kapinowski, 48,
from Point Pleasant, N.J. and fifteen year old Bridgette Wise from
Pipersville, Pa.
Prize money totaling $116,400 will be paid to the top international and
U.S. finishers, an increase of $14,900 over 2010. The American prize prize
purse is the largest outside a national championship with the male and
female prize totals of $22,350 each. This total will equal the open male
and female prize purse with double-dipping allowed. In addition, the New
Balance Falmouth Road Race male and female wheelchair prize purse has been
increased to $4,250 each from $2,500.
Elite Athlete Lists and Bib Notes
Elite athlete biographies as of Aug. 10 are attached to this release.
Overall males and females will have their last name on their white bib.
Masters males and females will have their last names on their yellow bibs.
American athletes will have USA on the left side of the bib. Wheelchair
athletes will wear a white bib with their last name and a number on their
helmet. Athlete biographicial lists are attached to this release.
About Falmouth Road Race
The New Balance Falmouth Road Race was established in 1973 and has become
one of the premier running events of the summer season. Each year the race
draws an international field of Olympians, elite athletes and recreational
runners out to enjoy the scenic 7-mile seaside course. The non-profit
Falmouth Road Race organization is dedicated to promoting health and
fitness for all in its community. Proceeds from the race each year support
youth athletic programs in the town of Falmouth and other nonprofit
community groups.
Visit the race web site - www.falmouthroadrace.com
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