FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot Sets Boston Marathon Course Record;
Teyba Erkesso Holds On for Victory in the Women's Race
Ryan Hall Becomes Fastest American Finisher in Boston Marathon History
BOSTON, April 19, 2010 -- Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot of Kenya ran away
from the field to set the Boston Marathon course record, and Teyba Erkesso
of Ethiopia won by just three seconds in a thrilling women's finish, as the
2009-10 World Marathon Majors series resumed on a sun-splashed Patriots'
Day.
Cheruiyot ran the course in a blistering 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 52
seconds, besting the mark of 2:07:14 set by Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (no
relation), also of Kenya, in 2006. Ethiopia's Tekeste Kebede finished
second, 91 seconds behind Cheruiyot, and defending champion Deriba Merga,
also of Ethiopia, took third in 2:08.39.
U.S. Olympian Ryan Hall and 2009 ING New York City Marathon champion Meb
Keflezighi, both of Mammoth Lakes, CA, made a strong showing for the United
States by finishing fourth and fifth. Hall's time of 2:08:41 is the fastest
ever by an American at Boston, eclipsing Bob Kempainen's 2:08:47 from 1994.
Keflezighi clocked 2:09:26.
Erkesso made a break near the halfway point and had built a lead of more
than two minutes late in the race, but Tatyana Pushkareva of Russia pulled
close in the final mile. Erkesso held on to win in 2 hours, 26 minutes, and
11 seconds, just three seconds ahead of Pushkareva. Defending champion
Salina Kosgei of Kenya outsprinted Waynishet Girma of Ethiopia for third
place.
The World Marathon Majors series will resume next week at the Virgin London
Marathon on Sunday, April 25. The season will continue with the real,-
Berlin Marathon on Sunday, September 26, and the Bank of America Chicago
Marathon on Sunday, October 10, and will conclude with the ING New York
City Marathon on Sunday, November 7.
The World Marathon Majors points races have tightened up with the addition
of the Boston results. The current 2009-2010 standings are:
Men
Place Name Country Point Total
1 Samuel Wanjiru KEN 50
2 Deriba Merga ETH 35
3 Meb Keflezighi USA 26
3 Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot KEN 26
5 Abel Kirui KEN 25
5 Haile Gebrselassie ETH 25
5 Tsegaye Kebede ETH 25
Women
Place Name Country Point Total
1 Irina Mikitenko GER 40
2 Salina Kosgei KEN 36
3 Liliya Shobukhova RUS 35
4 Teyba Erkesso ETH 30
5 Derartu Tulu ETH 25
5 Atsede Habtamu ETH 25
5 Xue Bai CHN 25
www.worldmarathonmajors.com
###
|
