Posted: September 16, 2004

Athletics: Mexican Team Set to Defend North American Marathon Relay Title in Akron

From: Tom Koch, Highland Public Relations, (330) 996-4140;:tk@HighlandPR.com.

AKRON, Ohio - (Sept. 15, 2004) - Mexico, the defending team champion, has selected its men's team for the second North American Marathon Relay Championship hosted by the Road Runner Akron Marathon. The event is set for Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004. Three members of Team Mexico recently represented their country at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. The Mexican Team will compete in Akron against five-member teams from the United States and Canada for first place prize money of $25,000. The second place team takes home $10,000 and third place, $5,000.

Last year, Mexico won the event during the inaugural Road Runner Akron Marathon with a time of 2:05:30. The Team USA was second in 2:07:13, followed by Canada (2:09:54). Teams from Canada and the United States will be announced soon.

Three of the runners from last year's Mexican team are returning to Akron. They are: Alejandro Suarez, Armando Torres and Teodoro Vega. Suarez recently competed in the 5000 meters at the Olympics, while Vega, who ran the 12.2K anchor leg last year, finished 20th at the Olympic 10,000 meters. His Athens teammate David Galvan, who withdrew from last year's race because of injury, finished 21st at the Olympic 10,000m meters and he will be making the trip to Akron this October. Other Mexican team members are Rafael Sanchez and Juan Luis Barrios. Mexican coach Rafael Martinez will select five of the six runners to make up the Mexican team. The sixth runner will serve as an alternate.

"Once again Mexico has fielded a highly competitive team for the North American Relay Championship, and they are serious about keeping the bragging rights as the best marathon relay team in North America," said Jim Barnett, race director for the Road Runner Akron Marathon.

The race will be run in an Ekiden format that includes relay legs of 10K, 5K, 10K, 5K and 12.2K.

For additional information on this competition and the Road Runner Akron Marathon, visit the race website at: www.akronmarathon.org.

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org.