Ethiopia’s Hailu Negussie wins the 2005 Boston Marathon (© Getty Images)
Ethiopian Hailu Negussie, winner of this year's Boston Marathon, has been added to the field for the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, 6 November, organizers announced. Negussie's compatriots, Derartu Tulu and Gete Wami, are the latest additions to the women's field.
"Individually they are all stars, but together they make a galaxy of greats," said New York Road Runners president and CEO and race director Mary Wittenberg. "This is as good as it gets."
Gharib withdraws
Jaouad Gharib of Morocco, who raced to his second consecutive World marathon title in Helsinki two months ago, has withdrawn from the race, citing difficulties in recovering completely from the August race.
"The training is not going how he and his coach would like, and they were forced to take the decision to cancel his participation," said Gharib's manager, Gianni Demadonna. "He is very sad because he was very confident after the World Championships but now that the marathon is approaching he feels day after day that he cannot be ready, and as a serious professional runner he doesn't want to spoil his name with a bad race."
Strong Ethiopian Contingent
In Boston, Negussie broke from the field in the 21st mile to claim a 36-second victory. His win was the first by an Ethiopian man in Boston since Abebe Mekonnen's victory in 1989. Negussie has raced just once since, finishing 31st at the World Championships. The 27-year-old has a career best of 2:08:16 from Hofu in 2002.
Tulu, 33, and Wami, 30, are two of the most decorated athletes in Ethiopia's rich distance running tradition.
Tulu won three Olympic medals at 10,000m - gold in 1992 and 2000 and bronze in 2004 - and was the 2001 winner at the London Marathon. Most recently, she finished fourth at the World Championships, reaching the line in a personal best time of 2:23:30. Wami, a three-time Olympic medallist at 5000 and 10,000m, set the current Ethiopian national record in the marathon in Amsterdam in 2002, clocking 2:22:19. Both will be making their New York City Marathon debuts.
Deep line-ups
Previously announced in the men's race were Kenyan Paul Tergat, the current world record holder (2:04:55, Berlin 2003); defending champion Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa; 2005 Flora London Marathon winner and 2003 New York winner Martin Lel of Kenya; Meb Keflezighi of the U.S., the Olympic silver medallist and runner-up in New York last year; and 2001 New York winner Tesfaye Tola of Ethiopia. Tola set the current course record of 2:07:43 in 2001.
Previously announced in the women's field were two-time New York winner Margaret Okayo of Kenya, also the course record holder; 2000 winner Ludmila Petrova of Russia; and Kenyan Susan Chepkemei, a two-time runner-up in the race. In a fierce contest, last year Chepkemei pushed Paula Radcliffe to the finish. Chepkemei earned her fourth medal at the World Half-Marathon Championships earlier this month, finishing third.
Richard Finn and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
