FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Olympic Gold Medalist Constantina Dita Highlights Dodge
Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon
Professional Field Announced for
10th Annual Virginia Beach Labor Day Road Race
Virginia Beach, VA - September 1, 2010 - The event that helped turn its
city around while starting the half-marathon boom will welcome more than
20,000 runners to the oceanfront streets of Virginia Beach for the 10th
Annual Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon presented by
SunTrust on Sunday, September 5, 2010.
Joining the ranks of Olympic medallists who have competed in Virginia Beach
will be Beijing Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist Constantina Dita of Romania.
Along with her crowning Olympic triumph in 2008, Dita won the 2005 IAAF
World Half-Marathon Championship held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and
also the 2004 Chicago Marathon. Her personal record (PR) for the
half-marathon is 1:08:07, set in Chicago in 2006.
"Many other athletes have told me often that the Virginia Beach race is one
of their favorite events of the year, and I am looking forward to my first
opportunity to compete there," said Dita, known as an aggressive
front-runner when in form. "It should be even more special this year, with
the race's 10th anniversary. It seems every year there is a very deep field
of the top runners, so I expect the competition should be great in 2010."
Chief among her rivals will be fellow Romanian Nuta Olaru, the 2004 Rock
'n' Roll Virginia Beach champion, and 2009 Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio
Marathon champ. Leading the U.S. contingent in the women's race is
28-year-old Samir Akbar of Herndon, VA. Akbar earned All-America honors
and set eight school records while at American University. This past May
she finished second at the USA 25km Championships in Grand Rapids, Michigan
after winning the Army 10-mile in Washington D.C. on April 11th.
Wearing bib #1 in the men's race will be 2007 Chicago Marathon Champion
Patrick Ivuti of Kenya. Ivuti owns a half marathon PR of 59:27 and has run
faster than one-hour four times in his career. While Ivuti will be making
his debut appearance in Virginia Beach, fellow Kenyan Yusuf Songoka returns
for the fourth time in search of his first win after three straight podium
finishes in 2005-2007. Songoka arrives with confidence off a win and
marathon PR of 2:08:55 earlier this year in Hannover, Germany. The Kenyan
men will be challenged by a strong contingent of Japanese runners led by
30k world record holder Takayuki Matsumiya.
"The roster of champions at Virginia Beach rivals any event over the last
decade," said Toni Reavis, race historian, who will be calling the race for
FSN with Olympian Todd Williams. "This year VB rookies Dita and Ivuti take
on the experienced hands of Olaru and Songoka. Bragging rights and prize
purses are waiting to be harvested as the summer season gives way and the
fall marathon countdown begins."
While the U.S. 20k road championship is being contested in New Haven,
Connecticut, the U.S. field in Virginia Beach will be led by John Crews, a
three-time marathon winner who is attending graduate school in Raleigh,
North Carolina. Crews won the North Carolina USATF Half Marathon
Championship earlier this year with a PR of 1 hour, 5 minutes and 20
seconds. Local pride rests with Ryan Carroll of Portsmouth, VA, who earned
DII All-American Honors on the track at Barton College and East Carolina
University.
"We are looking forward to two close and exciting races," said Matt
Turnbull, Elite Athlete Coordinator. "The form and personal records of the
leading athletes in both the men's and women's field suggest they are all
capable of running a quick and competitive contest."
The Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon celebrates its tenth
anniversary on Labor Day Weekend, Sunday, September 5, 2010 with over
20,000 participants. Festivities begin with a two-day Health & Fitness Expo
at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on Friday, Sept. 3 and Saturday,
Sept. 4. The Health & Fitness Expo is free and open to the public, and
features over 80 exhibitors with the latest in endurance sports gear and
nutrition products. Online registration has closed, but there is still an
opportunity to register in person at the expo.
For more information on the Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half
Marathon, please virgina-beach.competitor.com or call at 800-311-1255.
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