FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMMITMENT LIST GROWS FOR 2008 THE QC MARATHON ELITE FIELD
MOLINE, IL – Twenty elite athletes have offered commitments to the 11th
Annual THE Quad Cities Marathon, presented by THE National Bank. The
26.2-mile race is set for a 7:30-am start, Sept. 28th, at John Deere
Commons in Moline. The field is subject to change and additional athletes
may commit in the coming weeks. Of the 20 runners, 11 will be making their
first appearance at the QCM. Of the nine QC veterans, six are former
winners at the QCM.
Open Men
The Open Men's field will offer depth in the lead pack. David Tuwei (Kenya)
holds the top time from 2008. He ran a 2:13:44 in June to place 2nd at
Grandma's (Duluth, MN) Marathon. His time is well under the current QCM
Open Men's course record of 2:16:36.
Three others own sub 2:20 performances from 2008. The list includes
defending QC champ Genna Tufa (Ethiopia), who was 7th at Grandma's in
2:17:57. Tufa ran 2:18:28 to win the QC title last fall. Bruce Kilulai
(Kenya) was 8th at Grandma's in 2:18:24 and will be a newcomer in this
year's QC field. The QCM's current course record holder, Jynocel Basweti
(Kenya), has run a 2008 best of 2:19:31 to place 2nd at the D-M News Salt
Lake Marathon. Basweti won at the QCM in 2006 with his 2:16:36.
Andrew Musuva (Kenya) will make a long-awaited return to the QC's this
fall. Musuva won the 2002 (2:21:15) and 2004 (2:20:44) QC Marathons. He is
the only two-time winner in the Open Men's division. Geoffrey Kiprotich
(Kenya) ran a 2:20:12 to place 2nd at this year's Philippine Marathon. A
pair of former QCM runner-ups also dots the commitment list. Dzmitry Sivou
(Belarus) placed 2nd in 2004 in 2:21:21, while Jonathan Ndambuki (Kenya)
was 2nd in 2006. Ndambuki ran 2:20:33 at this year's D-M News Salt Lake
race. John Rotich (Kenya) and Geoffrey Kiprotich (Kenya) round out the
elite runners in the open race.
Master's Men
Alexey Korobov (Russia) may challenge two former QCM master's winners.
Korobov returns to the USA for his first race on American soil since 2002.
His last USA race, at age 34, was a 2:13:15 at Grandma's. He ran a 1:08:37
half marathon this spring to win at Clermont Ferrand, France, and is ranked
13th in the World Master's at that distance. Local standouts Russ Boore
(Hampton, IL) and Jerry Lack (East Moline, IL) have accounted for the past
three master's titles at the QCM. Boore won in 2005 and 2007, while Lack
was the 2006 winner. The Master's course record sits at 2:31:13.
Open Women
Two Russians highlight the Open Women's field. Larisa Mikhaylova (Russia)
placed 2nd at last fall's QCM in 2:49:58, she has run 2:48:24 to place 8th
at this year's Grandma's. Nadezhda Tuptova (Russia) will challenge as well.
Tuptova clocked a 2:48:02 to win this year's Kentucky Derby Marathon. Rael
Murey (Kenya) is a newcomer to the QC's. She ran 18:48 in a 5k this year.
Frashiah Waithaka (Kenya)
ran 34:50 in a 10k race this summer and will be making her QC debut. The
Open Women's course record is 2:36:26.
Master's Women
Mary Toohill (Davenport, IA) placed 1st in the master's division at this
year's Virginia Beach Marathon with a 3:00:47 and should contend for a win
at the QC's this year. 2006 QC master's winner Elena Shemyakina (Geneva,
IL) also is entered, along with Roberta Meyer (Sheperdsville, KY). The
Master's Women's course record sits at 2:46:32.
Possible Additions
Two other runners may be added to the field in the near future. Jacob
Kendagor (Kenya) may join the Open Men's race, while Meseret Kotu
(Ethiopia) may join the Open Women's race.
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