FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2013 IAAF World Championships Marathon - World Marathon Majors Preview
Red Square and Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow will set the stage as Olympic and
World Championships gold medalists and World Marathon Majors (WMM)
champions compete in the 2013 IAAF World Championships Marathon. The course
will start and finish at Luzhniki Stadium, the site of the 1980 Olympic
Games. Comprised of one loop of 7.5 kilometers and three loops of 10
kilometers, the course runs through the city center, passing many of
Moscow's famous landmarks.
World Marathon Majors points are at stake in the Women's and Men's World
Championships Marathons, to be held on August 10 and August 17,
respectively. The World Championships Marathon is part of the 2012-2013 WMM
Series, which also includes the Tokyo, Boston, Virgin Money London, BMW
Berlin, Bank of America Chicago, ING New York City, and London Olympic
Games marathons.
At the conclusion of the 2012-2013 WMM Series in November, the top female
and male marathoners in the Series, based on their total number of points,
will each earn $500,000.
Women's Race Preview: Saturday, August 10 at 2:00 p.m. (14:00) Moscow Time
A change at the top of the women's WMM Series standings is possible, as
four of the top 10 in the current standings will compete in the World
Championships. Defending World Championships gold medalist Edna Kiplagat
will lead the Kenyans against an Ethiopian contingent that includes London
Olympic Games Marathon gold medalist Tiki Gelena; 2012 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
champion Aberu Kebede; and 2013 Boston Marathon runner-up Meseret Hailu.
A repeat victory in Moscow would give Kiplagat a total of 55 points and the
overall lead in the standings entering the fall marathon season, which
includes the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on September 29, the Bank of America
Chicago Marathon on October 13, and the Series finale at the ING New York
City Marathon on November 3.
Men's Race Preview: Saturday, August 17 at 3:30 p.m. (15:30) Moscow Time
Four of the top 10 men in the current WMM Series standings will compete in
the World Championships, including an Ethiopian trio of Tsegaye Kebede, the
current WMM Series leader and 2013 Virgin London Marathon champion; Lelisa
Desisa, the 2013 Boston Marathon champion; and 2011 World Championships
bronze medalist and 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon runner-up, Feyisa
Lilesa. London Olympic Games Marathon gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich, of
Uganda, will also compete.
Kebede's 60 points in the 2012-2013 WMM Series standings currently give him
a commanding 24-point lead over Kenya's Wilson Kipsang. With a top five
performance in Moscow, Kebede can extend his lead prior to the fall
marathon season. Tied with 25 points apiece, Desisa or Kiprotich can only
move into second place with a win in Moscow.
Race reports and updated WMM Series standings will follow the respective
IAAF World Championships Marathons on August 10th and August 17th. For the
latest WMM news and updates, please visit www.worldmarathonmajors.com. For
more information on the 2013 IAAF World Championships, please visit
www.mos2013.ru/en.
2012-2013 WMM Series Leaderboards
Top 10 Men
Tsegaye Kebede ETH 60 pts.
Wilson Kipsang KEN 36 pts.
Wesley Korir KEN 27 pts.
Lelisa Desisa ETH 25 pts.
Stephen Kiprotoch UGA 25 pts.
Geoffrey Mutai KEN 25 pts.
Feyisa Lilesa ETH 20 pts.
Dennis Kimetto KEN 15 pts.
Abel Kirui KEN 15 pts.
Micah Kogo KEN 15 pts.
Top 10 Women
Priscah Jeptoo KEN 50 pts.
Rita Jeptoo KEN 40 pts.
Sharon Cherop KEN 35 pts.
Atsede Baysa ETH 30 pts.
Mary Keitany KEN 30 pts.
Edna Kiplagat KEN 30 pts.
Tiki Gelana ETH 25 pts.
Aberu Kebede ETH 25 pts.
Tirfi Tsegaye ETH 16 pts.
Meseret Hailu ETH 15 pts.
About World Marathon Majors
Established in 2006, World Marathon Majors (WMM) is a race series comprised
of the Tokyo, Boston, Virgin Money London, BMW Berlin, Bank of America
Chicago, and ING New York City Marathons. In the years in which they are
run, WMM also includes the IAAF World Championships and Olympic marathons.
At the conclusion of a two-year cycle, WMM offers a $1 million prize purse
to be split equally between the top male and female marathoners in the
world. The inaugural 2006-2007 Series was launched at the 110th Boston
Marathon on April 17, 2006, and concluded at the ING New York City Marathon
on November 4, 2007. The 2012-2013 Series began with the Boston Marathon on
April 16, 2012, and will conclude at the ING New York City Marathon on
November 3, 2013.
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