Posted: August 18, 2004

Athletics: Olympic 10,000-Meter Star Abdi Abdirahman to Run ING New York City Marathon 2004

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

New York, August 17, 2004 - Abdi Abdirahman, America's leading contender at 10,000 meters in the 2004 Olympic Games, has announced plans to make his marathon debut at the ING New York City Marathon 2004.

"We are delighted to welcome Abdi to this year's race," said Allan Steinfeld, the president and CEO of New York Road Runners and the race director of the ING New York City Marathon.

Abdirahman, 25, of Tucson, Arizona, will represent the United States in the Olympic 10,000 meters this Friday, August 20, in Athens. He finished 10th in the Olympic 10,000 meters in Sydney in 2000, the highest placing by an American in that race, and was the 2001 USA 10,000-meter champion.

Abdirahman secured his 2004 Olympic berth by finishing second at the U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000 meters in Sacramento last month.

The American field for the ING New York City Marathon 2004 is shaping up to become one of the strongest in years. Joining Abdirahman on the start line on Sunday, November 7, for the 35th running of the five-borough spectacle, will be Bob Kennedy, also making his marathon debut, and 2004 Olympians Dan Browne and Deena Kastor.

"We are thrilled to see this field continue to grow, and to bring the best of American distance running to New York," said Steinfeld, noting that both Alberto Salazar and Kastor made memorable marathon debuts in New York. "We have high expectations for Abdi. He brings great strength, speed, and tenacity to the marathon distance."

"The marathon is not the kind of thing you do just to do it," said Abdirahman. "It's going to take a lot of work. It's going to be my focus after the 10K on Friday."

Abdirahman was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. He moved to the United States with his family in 1990 and became a U.S. citizen in 2000. Abdirahman starred on the track and cross country teams at the University of Arizona, from which he graduated in 1999, and has been a strong and consistent presence on the distance running circuit ever since.

About the ING New York City Marathon

The ING New York City Marathon is the premier event of New York Road Runners (NYRR). Inaugurated in 1970 with 127 entrants, the ING New York City Marathon has grown into the world's premier road race, featuring 35,000 participants, more than two million spectators, a leading professional field, and a guaranteed prize purse of more than $500,000. Broadcast across the nation and in 125 countries worldwide, the 26.2-mile footrace is the United States' most watched one-day sporting event. The ING New York City Marathon joins the USA Men's 8K Championships and the Circle of Friends New York Mini 10K as the cornerstones of the NYRR Professional Racing Series and continues NYRR's tradition of bringing the very best runners in the world to New York City. For more information visit www.ingnycmarathon.org .

About New York Road Runners

Founded in 1958 with a membership of 47, New York Road Runners (NYRR) is one of the world's foremost running organizations. NYRR is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the sport of running and walking for health, recreation, and competition, and provides full professional services related to all aspects of racing. The organization has a full-time staff of more than 60 employees, supplemented by a network of thousands of volunteers, serving 40,000 members from every U.S. state and more than 100 countries.