FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Guangul, Terer Highlight Deep Fields for 25th
TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon
MOLINE, IL - Longtime race fixtures Hirut Guangul (Ethiopia) and Philemon
Terer (Kenya) return to highlight talented fields at this year's TBK Bank
Quad Cities Marathon. The full marathon, along with the Mel Foster Co. Half
Marathon are set for a 7-am start, Sun. Sept. 25, at John Deere Commons.
Guangul is the defending women's champion (2:40:54 in 2021) and a six-time
winner (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021). She also holds the course
record of 2:35:07 and has run the first, fourth, and fifth fastest times in
QCM history. Terer has three QCM victories (2013, 2018, 2019). His course
record of 2:14:04 was set in 2013. Terer also has a 2nd-place finish from
2014 and placed 5th in last year's race.
In the women's field, Damaris Areba (Ethiopia) ran 2:35:36 to finish 2nd in
this year's Austin Marathon and won this year's Green Bay Marathon. Isgah
Cheruto (Kenya) recorded a 2:37:38 at this year's Dar-es-Salaam (TAN)
Marathon. Buzuayehu Mohomed (Ethiopia) also has a top seed time with her
2:38:27 from the 2018 Roma (ITA) Marathon. Purity Munene (Kenya) returns to
the QCM after her 2nd-place and 2:48:53 effort last year. Maria Lindberg
(Elmhurst, IL) is another top elite and owns a 2:52:42 from the 2022 Carmel
Marathon.
Sammy Rotich (Kenya) will be a top elite to watch in the men's field.
Rotich ran 2:10:08 at the 2022 Grandma's Marathon to finish 2nd and ran
2:14:23 at the 2022 Austin Marathon to finish 1st. Raymond Bett (Kenya) ran
2:13:44 at the 2019 Hong Kong Marathon, while Felex Cheruiyot Rop (Kenya)
has a 2:18:32 seed time. Jackson Limo (Kenya) is the 2022 Miami Marathon
winner (2:21:34). Luke Kibet (Kenya), John Kipkorir Rutto (Kenya), and
David Kipkorir (Kenya) are also noteworthy top elites.
Three Americans have had recent marathon success and are entered this year.
Connor Roche (Grundy Center, IA) ran 2:25:04 at the 2022 Grandma's
Marathon, while Aaron Viets (Cedar Grove, WI) has a recent PR at 2:28:59
and Taggart VanEtten (Moline, IL) has a 2:29:58 from his 4th-place showing
at the 2021 QCM.
Matt Lorenz (Swisher, IA) and Emmons King (West Lebanon, IN) are talented
runners making marathon debuts at Quad Cities. Jacob Alexander
(Westminster, CO), Aaron Golding (Moline, IL), and Jonathan Smith (Moline,
IL) are also Americans in the elite field.
Orinthal Striggles (Columbia, SC) will look for more success at the QCM in
the master's division. He won last year in 2:48:49 and was the 2018
master's champ in 2:51:17. Pete Mathis (Tinley Park, IL) also is a master's
athlete in the elite field.
QUALITY WOMEN'S FIELD AND A DEEP MEN'S FIELD SET FOR MEL FOSTER CO.
HALF MARATHON
Five talented women are set to lead the women's elite field in the Mel
Foster Half and will be chasing a 1:14:23 course record from 2014, set by
Laura Batterink.
Polina Hodnette (Chicago, IL) should contend as a top elite and has a 1:13
PR, is a US Olympic Trials qualifier, and was top-10 overall at the 2022 QC
Times Bix-7. Valentyna Poltavska (Kings County, NY/Ukraine) returns to the
Quad Cities. Poltavska is the QCM Master's champ from 2021 and 2018, while
also owning an overall title at Quad Cities in 2005.
Patty O'Brien (Maplewood, MN) placed 2nd in the 2021 QCM Half and Emily
Byrd (St. Paul, MN) was 3rd in the 2021 QCM Half, both return to seek top
finishes once again. US Olympic Trials qualifier Brooke Slayman (Solon, IA)
is another key contender and owns a 2:42 marathon best.
A deep and talented men's field is lined up for the Mel Foster Half. The
course record is 1:04:47 (2019) by Colin Mickow.
Mike Chesire (Kenya) has a top seed time of 1:03:39 from this year's Publix
Atlanta Half. Mike Gille (Betendorf, IA) leads a strong contingent from
Running Wild Elite. Gille had a solid race at this year's QC Times Bix 7
(35:18). Matt Jung (Tinley Park, IL) has entered with a 32:15 10K best,
while Carl Schoenfeld (Moline, IL) owns a 32:07 10K and Brett Lustgarten
(Carol Stream, IL) is a former winner at the 2018 QCM Half.
Caleb Burke (Verona, WI) ran 37:21 at the Bix 7, Kallin Carolus Khan (Iowa
City, IA) ran 1:08:58 at the 2021 QCM Half (4th), and Brett Rosauer (Iowa
City, IA) is a 1:10:29 half marathoner and should all contend for top
performances. Kevin Claus (Pt. Byron, IL) is a 1:12 half marathoner and
Zachary Gray (Davenport, IA) clocked a 39:27 at the Bix 7 and her elites
this year.
The men's half elite field is rounded out by: Bryan Brooks (Davenport, IA),
Dalton Rice (Davenport, IA), Tyler Slayman (Solon, IA), Elliott Klauer
(Bettendorf, IA), Mitchell Sand (Rock Island, IL), Samuel Whan (Moline,
IL), Cameron Shotton (Davenport, IA), and Jordan Franks (Carbon Cliff, IL).
Top master's elites are Rick Torres (Elizabethtown, KY) and Julius Rotich
(Des Moines, IA).
RUDY'S MILE AND PALMER 5K ELITES
Saturday's Rudy's Mile (Sept. 24) has a couple of top elites with Running
Wild Elite's Devin Allbaugh (Bettendorf, IA) and Kevin Claus (Pt. Byron,
IL) set to race. Allbaugh has a 4:09 mile time.
Sunday's Palmer College 5k (Sept. 25) features Allbaugh and Sam Butler
(Sparta, MI) on the men's side, along with Morgan Miller (Bettendorf, IA)
in the women's field. The 5K records are Jason Thomas (14:55) in 2021 and
Jenny Every (17:50) in 2007.
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