Posted: October 13, 2004

Athletics: International Elite Field Announced For 10th Anniversary Toronto Marathon

International Field to Set Course Records

TORONTO - (October 12, 2004) - An international elite field of world class runners will be vying to set the course records for the 10th Annual Toronto Marathon on October 17th. With personal bests of sub 2:11 for the men and below 2:30 for women, it's likely the course records of 2:15:17 (Damaoui El Mostafa - 2000) for men and 2:37:52 (Kim Webb - 1996) for women will be shattered on Sunday.

Top male and female elite athletes will compete for the largest marathon purse in Canada. The top male and female marathon finishers will go home $25,000 richer, with second place finisher taking in $10,000 each and $5,000 for third. The awards are given out through 10th place and include Masters Division for first, second and third. The Canadian Maple Leaf Award, with $1000 going to the top male and female Canadian finishers. The Toronto Marathon will once again offer $1,000 for each full minute below the current course records.

Heading the men's field with what promises to make up a very healthy competition to set course records is Joseph Kamau of Kenya, who has won several major road races -- with his personal best of 2:1041 in Boston. Kamau came in first in the 2001, 2002 and 2003 Long Beach Marathon, first in the 2003 Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis, took second place in 1997 in Boston and third in 1996 in New York.

Fellow Kenyans running for the record will be Jonathan Ndambuki with a personal record of 2:10:58 and Penuel Osoro, who trains with recent Chicago Marathon winner Evans Rutto and boasts a record of 2:11:37. Ndambuki won the 2003 Big Sur Marathon.

Kenyans Simion Mutai and Eric Kiptoon will be close behind. Mutai, who has a personal record of 2:13:27, won the 2003 Strarimini Marathon and placed sixth in the 2003 Milano Marathon. Kiptoon's best marathon run clocked a time of 2:14:32. Mutai and Kiptoon are part of the famous Dr. Rosa group that produced world record holder, Paul Tergat.

Running their debut marathons in a close match-up will be Kenyans Abraham Koskei and David Njuguna. Koskei, age 27, finished second in the 2004 Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon and won the 2005 21K in Pottiers, France with a personal best of 1:02:55. Njuguna is Joseph Kamau's brother and boasts a best half marathon time of 1:02:59.

Mexican runner Procopio Franco will be vying for course records with a personal best of 2:11:42. Franco represented Mexico in the 2004 Olympics, and is a member of the Mexican World Half Marathon Team. Reuben Garcia from Mexico trains with Rodolfo Gomez who finished second to Alberto Salazar in the famous New York City battle. Tomas Luna is a Mexican National 10K road champion and has run a best of 1:03:53 in the half marathon.

Rounding out an international field will be Kim Gillard from Australia. Gillard came in second in the 2002 Houston Marathon. Gillard will be challenged by Marek Jaroszewski from Poland, the 2004 Houston Marathon Champion with a time of 2:14:52. Running alongside will be Asnake Fekadu from Ethiopia. Asnake trains with Dr. Yilma Berta who delivered two Olympic Marathon Champions. Joseph Nsengiyumva from Rwanda and Asier Cuevas from Spain will also be competing for the part of the purse.

Look for strong performances from the women's field. Olga Kovpotina from the Ukraine has run several sub 2:30's including a fifth place finish at this year's Paris Marathon. With a personal best time of 2:27:27, she has placed second in 2001 Twin Cities Marathon, second in the 2003 Country Music Marathon and second in the 2004 Semi Marathon Coban in Guatemala. Challenging her for the prize money will be Aurica Buia from Romania, who is just coming back from the World Half Marathon competition. She was part of the national Romanian team that included this year's Chicago Marathon winner. Buia is the champion of the 2001 and 2003 Country Music Marathon and is one medal shy of being the most decorated athlete in the history of the World Half Marathon Championship. Buia boasts a personal best of 2:31:29 from Vienna.

Lucia Subano from Kenya has been consistent in American and Mexican road racing scene for the past five years. With a fastest time of 2:321:29 she is sure to be in the top prize winners. Toronto resident Lioudmila Kortchaguina from Russia will be competing to set the women's course record. She placed first in the 2003 Pittsburgh Marathon with a time of 2:29:53, and enjoyed a first place finish in Salt Lake City. She won the 2003 Dallas White Rock Marathon and came in sixth in the 2004 Los Angeles Marathon.

This year's Toronto 10th Anniversary Marathon will be broadcast on Canada's national network, CBC Television Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. (EST) and Sunday, October 24, 12:30-1:00am (EST).

The race website is at: www.torontomarathon.com.