FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Course Record Holder, Kiplangat Terer, Headlines
2018 QC Marathon Elite Men's Field
MOLINE, IL - Kiplangat Terer (Kenya) has left his mark, literally, at the
TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon. Terer shattered the course record en route
to victory in the 2013 race, covering the 26.2-mile course in 2:14:04. He
came back the following year to place second in 2:17:37, which still ranks
as seventh best effort all time. In 2018 he will be back again to compete
on the streets of the Quad Cities. This year's race is set for 7-am, Sun.
Sept. 23rd with a start and finish at Moline's John Deere Commons.
Terer is still running strong. He was second this year in Cleveland at
2:16:54. He placed fifth at the 2017 Philadelphia Marathon in 2:22:24. In
2016, he was third at Des Moines (2:18:16) and sixth at California
International (2:16:29).
Hailemariam Kahsay (Ethiopia) is the top returner from 2017. He placed
second and ran 2:21:56 on a hot day at the 2017 QCM. He owns a solid
2:15:51 effort during an eighth place finish at the 2015 Wuhan, China,
Marathon. Tadesse Yae Dabi (Ethiopia) is another top contender. He placed
sixth at the 2016 New York City Marathon in 2:13:06. He also ran 2:13:14 at
the 2015 LaRochelle, France, Marathon. Last year he ran 2:16:57 at the
Lagos Marathon. William Mutai (Kenya) ran a solid 2:20:03 at this year's
Grandma's Marathon and has a quick 1:05:13 half marathon performance from
the 2016 Wuyi Flower, China, Half.
Philip Mburu (Kenya) finished fourth at this year's Cleveland Marathon
(2:20:16) and was third at the 2017 Green Bay Marathon (2:20:25). Temesgen
Habtemariam Bekele (Ethiopia) won last year's Richmond Marathon (2:21:16)
and has an impressive 2:11:42 PR from the 2013 Cologne, Germany, Marathon.
Suleman Abrar Shifa (Ethiopia) recently ran a quick 1:06:48 at the 2018
Brooklyn Half and was 1:05:30 at the same race in 2017. Shifa ran 2:23:25
at the 2016 New York City Marathon.
Luke Kibet (Kenya) returns to the QCM after running 2:23:33 to place third
in 2017. Lazarus Yego (Kenya) ran a 2:17 at this year's Tanzania Marathon,
ran 46:17 at the Kabarak, Kenya, 15K, and ran 1:03:43 at the 2014
El-Jadida, Mexico, Half. Abu Kebede Diriba (Ethiopia) is running the QCM
for the third time, his best finish is a third-place in 2015 (2:24:49).
Diriba's best marathon is a 2:22:04 from the 2016 Pittsburgh Marathon.
David Tuwei (Kenya) has a 2:19:57 PR from the 2015 Twin Cities Marathon. In
2017, Tuwei won the Lincoln and Fargo Marathons. Kenneth Kosgei (Kenya)
placed third at the 2017 Philadelphia Marathon (2:18:58) and was second at
the 2017 Illinois Marathon (2:24:07). Girma Bekele Gebre (Ethiopia) is
making his marathon debut. He ran a 1:04:56 at the 2017 Brooklyn Half and
ran 1:05:27 at the 2017 Richmond Half.
Sammy Rotich (Kenya) returns to the Quad Cities. He won the 2017 QCM Half
in 1:07:29. Rotich also was second last fall at the Des Moines Marathon in
2:21:34. Orinthal Striggles (Columbia, SC) is a top contender in the
master's field. Striggles ran 2:39:50 to place second (masters) at the 2018
BHM Marathon. He also ran 2:45:08 to place 11th overall at the 2018 One
City Marathon. Jake Alexander (Davenport, IA) rounds out the men's field,
he placed seventh at this year's East Moline Firecracker 10K.
Last year's winner, Hillary Too (Kenya), is not able to return this year
due to injury, he ran 2:21:40 on a hot day in 2017. Terer's course record
is 2:14:04 from 2013.
LARGE FIELD SET FOR MEL FOSTER MEN’S HALF MARATHON
A large men’s elite runner field is set for the 2018 Mel Foster Half
Marathon.
Benson Cheruiyot (Kenya) is the top returner from last year’s field. He ran
1:09:28 at the 2017 QCM Half under hot conditions. He ran a solid 1:04:58
at the 2017 Bjorklund Half and a 2:14:50 at the 2017 Hong Kong Marathon.
Zakayo Biwot (Kenya) and Elisha Kipruto (Kenya) are two other top
contenders. Biwot was second in the 2014 QCM Half and has a lifetime PR of
1:04:42, while Kipruto ran a 30:10 10K in 2018 and has a 35:36 best effort
at the QC Times Bix-7 (2015).
Arturs Bareikis (Crestwood, IL), Brett Lustgarten (Carol Stream, IL), and
Blake Whalen (Fort Dodge, IA) are three other top elites. Bareikis was
second at this year’s St. Louis Marathon (2:24:04) and won this year’s
Sioux Falls Marathon. He also owns a 1:07:14 Half from this year.
Lustgarten ran a 2:21:09 at the 2017 California International Marathon and
Whalen ran a 2:29:55 at this year’s Grandma's Marathon.
Esau Ambakwa (Kenya) is running well and recently clocked a 18:38 at the
CCVI 4-Mile. Michael Cheptoo (Kenya) was third at last year’s Des Moines
Marathon (2:21:55) and fifth at the 2017 QCM (2:27:13). Ethan Koch
(Millville, MN) was ninth at last year’s QCM Half and fifth at the 2016 QCM
Half. Coree Woltering (Ottawa, IL) placed sixth (2014) and eighth (2017) at
the QCM and was fifth (2015) at the QCM Half. Brian Lovejoy (Davenport, IA)
placed eighth at the 2016 QCM Half.
Also entered in the elite open field: Peter Kiptoo (Kenya), Peter Rono
(Kenya), and Francis Kosgey (Kenya). The elite master’s runners for the
Half include: Benson Matheka (Kenya), Julius Rotich (Des Moines, IA), Pete
Mathis (Tinley Park, IL), and Rick Torres (Elizabethtown, KY).
The course record sits at 1:05:03 from 2012 and was set by Robert Wambua
(Kenuya). Last year’s winner, Sammy Rotich (Kenya), clocked a 1:07:29.
Rotich is entered in this year’s full marathon at the QCM.
(CLICK HERE FOR THE 2018 ELITE RUNNER MEDIA GUIDE PDF)
FULL MARATHON MEN:
2. Kiplangat Terer, Kenya
4. Hailemariam Atsebha Kahsay, Ethiopia
6. Tadesse Yae Dabi, Ethiopia
8. William Mutai, Kenya
10. Philip Mburu, Kenya
12. Temesgen Habtemariam Bekele, Ethiopia
14. Suleman Abrar Shifa, Ethiopia
16. Luke Kibet, Kenya *
18. Lazarus Yego, Kenya
20. Abu Kebede Diriba, Ethiopia
22. David Tuwei, Kenya
24. Kenneth Kosgei, Kenya
26. Girma Bekele Gebre, Ethiopia
28. Sammy Rotich, Kenya
30. Orinthal Striggles, Columbia, SC *
32. Jake Alexander, Davenport, IA
HALF MARATHON MEN:
7006. Benson Cheruiyot, Kenya
7007. Zakayo Biwot, Kenya
7008. Elisha Kipruto, Kenya
7009. Arturs Bareikis, Crestwood, IL
7010. Brett Lustgarten, Carol Stream, IL
7011. Blake Whalen, Fort Dodge, IA
7012. Esau Ambakwa, Kenya
7013. Michael Cheptoo, Kenya
7014. Ethan Koch, Millville, MN
7015. Coree Woltering, Ottawa, IL
7016. Brian Lovejoy, Davenport, IA
7017. Peter Kiptoo, Kenya
7018. Peter Rono, Kenya
7019. Francis Kosgey, Kenya
7020. Benson Matheka, Kenya *
7021. Julius Rotich, Des Moines, IA *
7022. Pete Mathis, Tinley Park, IL *
7023. Rick Torres, Elizabethtown, KY *
* Masters
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