FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kenyans Top Seeds in Men's Field;
Tuwei, Melly Look to Challenge Two-Time Winner Basweti
September 12, 2011
MOLINE, IL - The Quad Cities Marathon, presented by THE National Bank, has
a number of Kenyans headlining this year's field. Four countries will be
represented in the elite men's race that is set for a 7:30-am start, Sept.
25, at John Deere Commons. The field remains open and is subject to change.
David Tuwei (Kenya) owns the top seed time of 2:15:51 in this year's race,
he recorded the time en route to a seventh-place finish at last year's
Baltimore Marathon. Tuwei, a member of the Duma Race Team, notched his
2:13:44 PR when he placed third at the 2008 Grandma's Marathon. He won
earlier this year at the Mercedes Marathon in 2:19:42. Kennedy Melly
(Kenya) ran his PR of 2:16:35 at this year's Krakow (Poland) Marathon to
place fifth. Melly also placed fifth at this year's 10,000-meter Kenyan
world championships track trials in 29:23.5. Melly also runs for the Duma
Race Team.
Two-time QCM champion Jynocel Basweti (Kenya) owns the 2nd, 3rd, and 10th
best finish times in race history. He has finished in the top-three four
times at Quad Cities. Basweti's wins came in 2008 (2:18:04) and in 2006
(2:16:36). Basweti was second (2:19:40) in 2009 and placed third (2:21:54)
in 2007. He ran 2:18:04 this year at Grandma's Marathon (14th) and placed
sixth at this year's Pittsburgh Marathon (2:19:41). He owns 13 wins in past
five years. He won this year's Georgia Marathon and won three times last
year at Seattle Rock-n-Roll, Snickers Energy Bar, and Mississippi Blues.
His PR sits at 2:14:02 from a 2007 win in Austin.
Peter Kemboi (Kenya) rounds out the elite runners with (recent best) seed
times under 2:20. Kemboi ran 2:19:47 to win this year's Mississippi Blues
Marathon. He also won this year's Kentucky Derby Marathon in 2:24:59.
Hillary Cheruiyot (Kenya) ran 2:21:28 to win the 2010 Utah Valley Marathon.
He has a 2:19:26 PR from a win at the 2009 Victoria Marathon. Philip Kamau
(Kenya) ran a 2:22:11 PR to place second at the 2010 Richmond Marathon.
Richard Kandie (Kenya) posted his 2:22:24 PR to win the 2008 Indianapolis
Marathon and ran a 1:06:01 half marathon PR to win the 2010 Bayshore Half.
Demesse Tefera (Ethiopia) returns to the QCM, he placed fourth in 2009
(2:23:05). Tefera's PR is a 2:18:29 effort from the 2008 Miami Marathon
(third). Jonathan Ndambuki (Kenya) also returns to the QCM. At the QCM
Ndambuki placed fourth in 2008 (2:23:47), placed second in 2006 (2:21:57),
and sixth in 2005 (2:25:23). Ndambuki won this year's Seattle Rock-n-Roll
Marathon (2:24:50) and has a PR of 2:20:33 from 2008.
A pair of runners in the elite field will be making their marathon debuts
at the QCM. Kumsa Adugna (Ethiopia) ran 1:04:40 to win this year's
Fairfield, CT, Half, while David Chirchir (Kenya) owns a 14:19.66
5,000-meter PR from his collegiate career at Oklahoma State University,
Four elites will compete in the masters division. Erik Bush (Peoria, IL) is
back to defend his title from a year ago (2:37:55). Bush owns a PR of
2:33:21 from 2008. Alexey Khokhlov (Russia) has a recent best of 2:28:16
from the 2007 HC Andersen Denmark Marathon (10th). Maxim Zobov (Russia) ran
2:32:50 to win a masters title at the 2010 Country Music Marathon and has a
PR of 2:22:25 from the Togliatti Marathon. John Piggott (Williamsburg, VA)
was second in last year's masters race at the QCM (2:45:54). Piggott's
recent best is a 2:41:50 from the 2010 Lake City Marathon (first masters).
The field will look to challenge the 2010 course record of 2:16:29 set by
Leonard Mucheru (Kenya). Mucheru will not be back to defend his title this
year. The masters course record was set in 2008, by Alexey Korobov
(Russia), at 2:30:52.
Americans will be looking to best the 2:19:00 US Olympic Marathon Trials
standard. The trials are set for Jan. 14, 2012, in Houston, TX. GLASS LOOKS
FOR THREE-PEAT IN HALF MARATHON EVENT The 2011 QCM Half Marathon's elite
field will be chasing prize money for the first time in race history. Bryan
Glass (Springfield, IL) is the top seed, to date, in this year's QCM Half.
Glass won the 2010 and 2009 titles in the QCM half; Glass ran 1:09:16 to
win last year and ran 1:09:50 to win the 2009 race. He ran 2:30:16 to place
second at last year's Rehoboth Marathon. Glass has top finishes at the past
two QC Times Bix 7 Mile runs; placing 22nd this year in 36:33 and placing
24th last year in 36:31.
Chalres Hillig (Denver, CO) is the top challenger. Hillig ran 1:09:59 to
win the 2010 Geogetown to Idaho Spring Half. He recorded a 1:11:06 to place
2nd at this year's Georgetown event. He placed 75th at the 2010 Chicago
Marathon in 2:31:29. Archie Bareikis (Oak Forest, IL) owns a 1:10:44 seed
time from the 2011 Indianapolis OneAmerica Half (27th). Steven Bugarian
(Chicago, IL) clocked a 1:14:25 at the 2010 Calumet Park District Half
Marathon to place 1st.
Also in the elite field: Ryan Case (Normal, IL), Ronald Lavarie (Urbana,
IL), Marco Alfaro (Cicero, IL), Alfredo Delgado (Chicago, IL), Damon
Bautista (Silvis, IL), and Stephen DiSanto (Chicago, IL).
Complete Elite Bios for Men's Marathon and Half Marathon Field: click here
Women's Elite Preview, click here
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