Posted: March 16, 2005

Athletics: John Hancock Announces 2005 Boston Marathon Elite International Field

Catherine Ndereba, Timothy Cherigat Head Field of 31 Athletes for 109th Running

BOSTON, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 20th year as principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon, John Hancock announced its elite team of 31 marathon runners from 13 countries today, including three-time winner and Olympic silver medalist Catherine Ndereba, and Timothy Cherigat, the men's defending champion. The race is set for Monday, April 18, 2005.

Five women who finished in the top ten at the 2004 Olympic marathon and five national record holders will highlight the women's field. Ndereba, the reigning world champion and second fastest woman in the world, will seek to defend her Boston title and make history as the first four-time woman champion. She faces strong competition from 2004 runner-up Elfenesh Alemu of Ethiopia who finished fourth at the Olympics, national record holder Olivera Jevtic of Serbia and Montenegro who finished sixth, 2003 Boston champion and national record holder Svetlana Zakharova of Russia who finished ninth and 2004 Tokyo champion Bruna Genovese of Italy who finished tenth.

Close on their heels will be three-time Olympic medalist and national record holder Gete Wami of Ethiopia, Olympian Nuta Olaru of Romania, national record holder of Morocco Zhor El Kamch, 2001 Boston runner-up and Olympian Malgorzata Sobanska of Poland and Honolulu champions Lyubov Morgunova of Russia and Eri Hayakawa of Japan. Additional talent from Poland, Ethiopia and Japan are included in the women's field.

On the men's side, Timothy Cherigat will face 2004 runner-up Robert Cheboror of Kenya who returns to Boston as the second fastest man in the world last year with a 2:06:23 Amsterdam win. Another 2:06 marathoner, Wilson Onsare of Kenya, leads the charge of ten men under 2:10 which includes 2003 Boston runner-up Benjamin Kosgei Kimutai and Olympian and road racing talent Paul Koech of Kenya. Top American Alan Culpepper, who finished 12th at the Olympics in the marathon and won the U.S. Olympic Trials, is also ready to challenge the defending champion.

Added to the mix is Olympian Mohamed Ouaadi who wants a first time win for France and Pavel Loskutov, the 2003 and 2004 Seoul champion and national record holder of Estonia. Kenyan Stephen Kiogora and young talent Hailu Negussie of Ethiopia also look to improve their top-five finishes from last year at Boston. Ryan Shay, the reigning U.S. champion in the half-marathon, the 20K, the 15K, and the 5K expects a win as do additional world ranked men from Kenya, Ethiopia and Australia. A complete list of the field follows.

    109th B.A.A. BOSTON MARATHON  JOHN HANCOCK'S 2005 ELITE FIELD

     Men's Open Field                        	Personal Best

     Robert Cheboror, Kenya                  	2:06:23 (Amsterdam, 2004)
     Wilson Onsare, Kenya                    	2:06:47 (Paris, 2003)
     Paul Koech, Kenya                       	2:07:07 (Chicago, 2003)
     Benjamin Kosgei Kimutai, Kenya         2:07:26 (Amsterdam, 2002)
     Mohamed Ouaadi, France                  2:07:55 (Fukuoka, 1999)
     Hailu Negussie, Ethiopia                	2:08:16 (Hofu, 2002)
     Pavel Loskutov, Estonia                 	2:08:53 (Paris, 2002) NR
     Stephen Kiogora, Kenya                  	2:09:21 (Chicago, 2004)
     Timothy Cherigat, Kenya                 	2:09:34 (San Sebastian, 2002)
     Alan Culpepper, United States           2:09:41 (Chicago, 2002)
     Thomas Omwenga, Kenya                 2:10:44 (Seoul, 2004)
     Gidey Amaha, Ethiopia                   	2:11:26 (Dubai, 2005)
     Terefe Yae, Ethiopia                    	2:11:45 (Xiamen, 2004)
     Andrew Letherby, Australia              2:12:45 (Fukuoka, 2003)
     Ryan Shay, United States                	2:14:08 (New York, 2004)
     John Itati, Kenya                       	2:14:51 (Baltimore, 2004)
     James Koskei, Kenya                     	2:18:40 (Chicago, 2004)


     Women's Open Field                      	Personal Best

     Catherine Ndereba, Kenya                	2:18:47 (Chicago, 2001) NR
     Svetlana Zakharova, Russia              2:21:31 (Chicago, 2002) NR
     Gete Wami, Ethiopia                     	2:22:19 (Amsterdam, 2002) NR
     Elfenesh Alemu, Ethiopia                	2:24:29 (London, 2001)
     Nuta Olaru, Romania                     	2:24:33 (Chicago, 2004)
     Olivera Jevtic, Serbia and
      Montenegro                             	2:25:23 (Rotterdam, 2003) NR
     Bruna Genovese, Italy                   	2:25:35 (Tokyo, 2001)
     Malgorzata Sobanska, Poland             2:26:08 (Chicago, 2001)
     Zhor El Kamch, Morocco                  	2:26:10 (Rotterdam, 2004) NR
     Shitaye Gemechu, Ethiopia               	2:26:15 (Berlin, 2002)
     Grazyna Syrek, Poland                   	2:26:22 (Chicago, 2003)
     Lyubov Morgunova, Russia                2:26:33 (London, 2000)
     Eri Hayakawa, Japan                     	2:28:11 (Honolulu, 2004)
     Mina Ogawa, Japan                       	2:28:47 (Osaka, 1998)
     
     NR = National Record

Find the latest news and information about the Boston Marathon at www.marathon.jhancock.com/marathon

About John Hancock and Manulife Financial
John Hancock continues to build on its rich history of creating and leveraging sports marketing opportunities through its agreements with Major League Baseball, the Olympic Games, the Boston Marathon and Champions on Ice. John Hancock is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian- based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and most of Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including whole life, term life, variable life, and universal life insurance, as well as college savings products, fixed and variable annuities, long-term care insurance, mutual funds and various forms of business insurance.