PRESS RELEASE
(from the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon)
HISTORIC FIELD GROWS FOR THE LASALLE BANK CHICAGO MARATHON
Abdelkhader El Mouaziz, Yoko Shibui and Others Added to World Class
Field
Chicago (September 30, 2002) The historic field for The 2002 LaSalle Bank
Chicago Marathon has grown even deeper with the addition of another sub
2:07 marathoner, Abdelkhader El Mouaziz, to the men's field and a rising
Japanese star, Yoko Shibui, to the women's field, Executive Race Director
Carey Pinkowski announced today. The much-anticipated 25th Anniversary of
LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon takes place October 13.
To have both World Record holders Khalid Khannouchi and Catherine Ndereba
is an accomplishment; to also have their closest competitors, Paul Tergat
and Paula Radcliffe in the same race is unprecedented. Now with the
addition of El Mouaziz and Shibui the amount of pure, raw distance
running
talent and ability put together in one race exceeds any other marathon in
the world.
"Aldelkader El Mouziz has shown through his aggressive racing style that
he
can not only run with the best in the world, Paul Tergat and Khalid
Khannouchi, he can also defeat them," said Pinkowski. "His impressive
mid-race attacking style that has brought him victories at the New York
City and London Marathons will add an interesting element of excitement
to
this year's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. We have a strong group of very
talented athletes that are looking to break through to the next level."
El Mouaziz, a two-time Olympian from Morocco, is one of the world's most
accomplished marathoner runners. He is a two-time winner of the London
Marathon (1999, 2001) and the winner of the 2000 New York City Marathon.
Earlier this year El Mouaziz ran a personal best 2:06:52 in a fourth
place
finish in London. This will be his first appearance at The LaSalle Bank
Chicago Marathon.
Shibui, only 23 years old, is the latest star on the Japanese marathon
scene. Shibui broke into the world spotlight at the 2001 Osaka
International Ladies Marathon recording the second best marathon debut
(2:23:11). Earlier this year she set the Japanese national 10,000m
record
(30:48.89) with her victory at the Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto,
CA.
The 2002 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon will be her third marathon.
"I was there at the 2001 Osaka Ladies International Marathon and
extremely
impressed as I witnessed Shibui's debut and victory through very
challenging conditions and, even more difficult, with absolutely no
competition," said Pinkowski. "This time Shibui will have some
competition
and I am confidant she will rise to the challenge and respond well to the
other female athletes."
Other impressive additions to The 2002 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon's
elite list include Driss El Himer, Ian Syster and Toshinari Takaoka.
El Himer's stunning debut was a 2:07:02 victory at the 2001 Amsterdam
Marathon. That performance was the second fastest marathon in 2001, a
French National Record and the third fastest debut marathon ever.
Syster has only been running for two years. He made his marathon debut at
the South African National Championships in 2001 and won the race to
become
the South African National Champion (2:13:30). Syster finished fifth at
this year's London Marathon with a breakthrough performance of 2:07:06, a
new personal best time by more than six minutes.
Takaoka, a two-time Olympian, is the Japanese National record holder at
3000m (7:41.87), 5000m (13:13.40) and 10,000m (27:35.09). He will be
running his second marathon and first LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. His
marathon debut was at the 2001 Fukuoka Marathon where he finished third
in
2:09:41.
Additional notable elite women include Masako Chiba, Nuta Olaru and
Svetlana Zakharova,
Chiba'a first serious marathon was a 2:29:00 effort for fifth place at
the
1999 Tokyo Ladies Marathon. She won 2001 Hokkaido Marathon in 2:30:39 and
was second in 2002 Rotterdam Marathon in 2:25:11.
Olaru is the second fastest woman marathoner in Romanian history. She
broke
through to world class level with a 2:25:18 personal best at the 2001
London Marathon. As part of her preparation for The LaSalle Bank Chicago
Marathon, Olaru ran a strong third place (1:10:49) at the Rock 'N' Roll
Half-Marathon, then knocked 53 seconds from her personal best with a
1:08:59 second place finish at the Romanian Half-Marathon Championships
in
mid-September.
Zakharova placed second at the 2002 London Marathon, running the 17th
fastest marathon of all-time and set a Russian National record in
2:22:31.
In 2001 she ran four major marathons and finished in the top three in
each;
second in London, third at the World Championships, second in New York
City
and second in Honolulu.
The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon has a reputation as one of the world's
fastest courses. Last year Catherine Ndereba set a new World Record of
2:18:47, while Olympian Joan Benoit Samuelson set the still-standing
women's American record of 2:21:21 on Chicago's streets in 1985. In its
24-year history, Chicago also has held two men's World Records (1984
Steve
Jones ? 2:08:05, 1999 Khalid Khannouchi ? 2:05:42).
Elite athletes will compete this fall for an event-record purse of
$500,000. The male and female winners each will earn $100,000, the
largest
ever payout for first place in a marathon. The 2002 LaSalle Bank Chicago
Marathon begins Sunday, October 13 at 7:30 a.m., starting and finishing
in
Chicago's Grant Park. The race will be televised live on Chicago's NBC5
and
broadcast on Chicago's ESPN Radio 1000 AM from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
2002 LASALLE BANK CHICAGO MARATHON ELITE ATHLETE LISTING
MEN COUNTRY PR BIB #
Aish, Michael New Zealand Debut 16
Baker, Kyle United States Debut 22
Behar, Abdelah France 2:09:05 18
Cox, Josh United States 2:13:55 32
Culpepper, Alan United States Debut 15
DeHaven, Rod United States 2:12:41 42 P
De La Cerda, Peter United States 2:16:18 37
Dowling, Keith United States 2:13:28 27
Dwyer, Julian Australia 2:20:29 34
El Himer, Driss France 2:07:02 19
El Mouaziz, Abdelkader Morocco 2:06:52 5
Githuka, Peter Kenya 2:08:02 4
Guerra, Silvio Ecuador 2:09:49 41 P
Hiskia, Tobias South Africa 2:23:29 7
Ito, Kentaro Japan 2:14:12 24
Johnson, Weldon United States 2:19:52 43 P
Kagwe, John Kenya 2:08:12 9
Kariuki, Joesph Kenya 2:13:58 44 P
Kebede, Getachew Ethiopia 2:11:43 38
Khannouchi, Khalid United States 2:05:38 2
Kimondiu, Ben Kenya 2:08:52 1
Kiprotich, Godfrey Kenya N/A 45 P
Kirui Kiptoo, David Kenya 2:09:40 21
Mack, Eric United States 2:12:42 10
Mogaka, Ronald Kenya 2:12:58 47 P
Michelsson, Magnus Australia 2:16:32 33
Nagano, Yasuyuki Japan 2:13:44 28
Njenga, Daniel Kenya 2:11:01 29
Pitayo, Martin Mexico 2:09:41 8
Rundell, Carl United States 2:22:23 35
Shay, Ryan United States Debut 31
Shimazaki, Takayuki Japan 2:11:01 26
Syster, Ian South Africa 2:07:06 20
Takaoka, Toshinari Japan 2:09:41 23
Tergat, Paul Kenya 2:05:48 3
Thys,Gert South Africa 2:06:33 46
Verran, Clint United States 2:17:20 30
WOMEN COUNTRY PR BIB #
Chiba, Masako Japan 2:25:11 105
Drossin, Deena United States 2:26:58 106
Hennessy, Jeanne United States 2:38:58 107
Hunt, Nicole United States Debut 108
Johnston, Kristy United States 2:29:05 109
Ndereba, Catherine Kenya 2:18:47 101
Obata, Kayoko Japan 2:25:14 111
Olaru, Nuta Romania 2:34:25 112
Radcliffe, Paula Great Britain 2:18:56 102
Rhines, Jen United States Debut 107
Samuelson, Joan United States 2:21:21 113
Shubui, Yoko Japan 2:23:11 114
Zakharova, Svetlana South Africa 2:22:31 115
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