FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mo Farah to Run Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half Marathon
Double Olympic Champion to Compete in
First U.S. Race Since the 2012 London Olympics
New Orleans, LA – January 24, 2013 – Double Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah
will compete for the first time in the United States since his illustrious
performance at the 2012 London Olympics when the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans
Half Marathon returns to the Crescent City on Sunday, February 24, 2013.
"I'm excited to be racing at my first Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in New
Orleans. I've heard great things about the races and understand that the
course is fast and flat. I'm sure that the competition is going to be
strong," said Farah, who owns Great Britain's fastest Half Marathon
performance with a personal best time of 1:00:23. "I'm over in Kenya
training at the moment and will race in the UK over 3000m before I come to
the States."
The 29-year-old winner of both the 5,000m and 10,000m distances at the
London games was honored as the European Athlete of the Year, becoming just
the second individual to receive the award for two consecutive years. After
becoming a father to twin daughters Aisha and Amani, who he dedicated each
of his gold medals to, Farah also received the British Athletics Writers'
Association 2012 'Athlete of the Year' Award.
"It was a fantastic 2012 for me. Since my Olympic success it's been a bit
of a whirlwind, but now I'm back training and really looking forward to
racing again and seeing where 2013 takes me," added the European record
holder over 5,000m, who owns 6 national distance records.
New Orleans' history for record road performances coupled with its flat
course provides an ideal stage for an assault on more records. In 2010,
two-time Chicago Marathon champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia ran what was
then the fastest half-marathon ever on U.S. soil at the first Rock 'n' Roll
Half Marathon in New Orleans. That year the men's race saw three-time
London Marathon champion Martin Lel of Kenya outduel the late Olympic
Marathon Champion Sammy Wanjiru. New Zealand's Kim Smith returned in 2011
to set another U.S. all-comer's record in New Orleans, and then lowered her
mark to 1:07:11 at the Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon later that
year.
"To attract the likes of Mo Farah to New Orleans demonstrates our
commitment to attract the biggest names in the world of running," said
Matthew Turnbull, Elite Athlete Manager of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
Series. "We're excited to have one of the stars of London 2012 on the
starting line in New Orleans and the recruitment won't stop with Mo, as we
have some great talent lined up to take him on, along with another Olympic
star in the women's race."
The 2013 Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon & 1/2 Marathon will once again
start downtown on Poydras Street, with the marathon and half-marathon
running together for the first 12 miles. With a fast and flat course below
sea level, participants enjoy the sights along beautiful St. Charles
Avenue, running out and back before touring the historic French Quarter,
Esplanade Avenue and iconic City Park. Runners will once again finish on
Roosevelt Mall behind the New Orleans Museum of Art, where the Dirty Dozen
Brass Band will kick off the post-race party.
Race weekend will kick off with the Health & Fitness Expo at the New
Orleans Morial Convention Center. The expo is free and open to the public
on Friday, February 22 and Saturday, February 23. More than 60 exhibitors
and retailers will feature the latest health and nutrition information with
a variety of products for sale and sample as well as free fitness related
clinics.
Kids have the chance to get fit and have fun at ING KiDS ROCK New Orleans
on Saturday, February 23. The non-timed, non-competitive fun run for kids
in grades K-7 will take place in City Park and all participants receive a
T-shirt, goodie bag and finisher's medal. Registration and more information
can be found online at INGKiDSROCK.com.
For more information or to register for the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans
Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, please visit RunRocknRoll.com.
About Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans
The Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon & 1/2 Marathon will return to the Big
Easy on Sunday, February 24, 2013. The streets will be rockin' with the
sounds of local bands and cheerleaders lining nearly every mile of the 26.2
and 13.1 mile race courses, along with thousands of spectators. Event
weekend kicks off on Friday, February 22 with a two-day Health & Fitness
Expo at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center where all participants
pick up their race number and packet. The expo will feature more than one
hundred running and fitness retailers, exhibits and interactive clinics.
All Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans participants will be treated to a finish line
concert headlined by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. For more information,
please visit RunRocknRoll.com or follow @RunRocknRoll on Twitter.
###
|
