Press Release - Quad Cities Marathon - 9/18/06

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                      Contact: IAN FRINK
                                                               309-269-9941

                  FIELD SET FOR 9TH QUAD CITIES MARATHON

MOLINE, IL - The field is set for Sunday's (Sept. 24th) 9th running of THE 
Quad Cities Marathon, presented by THE National Bank.  

The field includes nine QCM veterans and seven newcomers.

In the men's race, Dzmitry Sivou (Belarus) and Jynocel Basweti (Kenya) own 
the best performances in 2006. Sivou was 6th at the Houston Marathon in 
2:19:07, while the 19-year-old Basweti won in Buffalo in 2:19:15. Course 
record holder Sergey Nochevny (2:18:42 in 2003) also returns. Other top 
contenders include Vyacheslav Rodionov (Russia), Jonathan Ndambuki (Kenya), 
and former Tulane All American Solomon Kandie (Kenya).

In the women's race, Alena Vinitskaya (Belarus) looks to become the event's 
first three-time champion.  She won the QCM title in 2003 and 2002. 
Vinitskaya placed third in Austin this year in 2:37:17. Valentyna 
Poltavska also returns to defend her title from a year ago, she also placed 
second in 2004.  Poltavska owns the second best time in race history 
(2:39:34). Sarah Plaxton (Highland, MI) and Tracy Stewart (Golden, CO) are 
top contenders as well. Two elites are making marathon debuts: former 
Division I All American and top American at the 2005 Bix-7, Casey Owens 
(Cedar Rapids, IA) and Jennifer Paul (Rock Island, IL) round out the 
women's field.

The QCM starts and finishes in downtown Moline at John Deere Commons. The 
flat and fast course runs through four cities and two states along the 
Mississippi River.

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