Thursday, September 09, 2010

Vega, McGregor to Power NYC's USA Field

Organizers of the ING New York City Marathon have confirmed that Team USA Minnesota's Katie McGregor and Antonio Vega will compete in their event on November 7.

The race, which last year served as the USA Men's Marathon Championships, will serve as the 2010 USA Women's Marathon Championships.

Along with a stellar international field that includes Kenyan World Half Marathon Champion Mary Keitany, New Zealand star Kim Smith, and Ethiopia's Werknesh Kidane, McGregor will face marathon debutante Shalane Flangan, the American record-holder at 10,000-meters, Mary Akor, winner of three straight Grandma's Marathons, and Blake Russell, the winner of the 2003 Twin Cities Marathon.

Vega, the 2010 USA Half Marathon champion and the current USA Running Circuit points leader, joins fellow Americans Meb Keflezighi, the 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist and defending NYC champ, Dathan Ritzenhein, the former American record-holder at 5000m, and debut marathoner Tim Nelson in the field.

Top men's international runners at the ING New York City Marathon include marathon world record-holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, countryman Gebre Gebremariam, Arata Fujiwara of Japan, Kenyans Abel Kirui, Peter Kamais, and Emmanuel Mutai, and Canada's Simon Bairu.

No comments: