Posted: June 30, 2006

Athletics: Peachtree Road Race Releases Elite Field

From David Monti

© 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

With it's $15,000 winners' checks and a total prize money purse of $83,000, the Peachtree Road Race is one of the richest road races in the United States short of the marathon distance. Packed with talent, this 10-K fixture, scheduled for Tuesday, July 4 in Atlanta, Ga., features some of the world's best road runners.

Four-time winner and course record holder, Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands, is the leading entrant in the women's race. In the 2002 edition of the Peachtree, she scorched the course in 30:32, still the fourth-fastest certified 10-K ever run by a woman. She ran 31:17 to win the race last year, more than half a minute ahead of her nearest rival. She's been in fine form this year and is coming off of victories at the Circle of Friends New York Mini 10-K (31:27) and the Steamboat Classic 4-Mile (19:43).

Kiplagat will be challenged by Kenyan Susan Chepkemei, herself a two-time Peachtree winner, with a 10-K personal best of 31:11. Ethiopian Gete Wam1, who ran a 31:13 national record at the Manchester 10-K earlier this year, will also challenge Kiplagat for the win, along with Natalya Berkut of the Ukraine (31:14) and Lidiya Grigoryeva (30:57.83/track). Katie McGregor is the top American entered with a 10,000m personal best of 31:21.20 (she's also run 32:17 on the road).

The men's race features defending champion Gilbert Okari of Kenya (27:28 PB), against the runner-up from 2006 Flora London Marathon, Martin Lel, also of Kenya. Lel won Peachtree in 2004 in a personal best 28:04. Kenyans Wilson Kiprotich (27:27 PB), Micah Kogo (27:16.75/track), William Chebon Chebor (28:28/3rd at Peachtree last year) and Sammy Rongo (27:41) should also threaten for the win.

This will be the 37th running of the Peachtree; the complete list of athletes is below, listed by bib number:

MEN - 1 Gilbert Okari, KEN 2 Martin Lel, KEN 3 Wilson Kiprotich, KEN 4 Micah Kogo, KEN 5 William Chebon Chebor, KEN 6 Samuel Rongo, KEN 7 Andrew Letherby, AUS 8 Ridouane Harroufi, MAR 9 Karim El Mabchour, MAR 10 Wilson Komen, KEN 11 Michael Aish, NZL 12 Fernando Cabada, USA 13 Jason Lehmkuhle, USA 14 Philip Lagat, KEN 15 Mario Macias, MEX 16 Nephat Kinyanjui, KEN 17 Simon Wangai, KEN 18 Nicholas Murei, KEN 19 Joe Driscoll, USA 20 Peter Julian, USA 21 Peter Tanui, KEN 22 Chris Seaton, USA 23 Scott Strand, USA 24 Ernest Meli Kimeli, KEN 40+: 100 Sean Wade, USA 101 Paul Aufdemberge, USA 102 Oleg Strijakov, RUS 103 Andrew Masai, KEN 104 Brian Pope, USA 105 David Matherne USA 106 Dennis Simonaitis USA

WOMEN - W1 Lornah Kiplagat, NED W2 Susan Chepkemei, KEN W3 Gete Wami, ETH W4 Lidiya Grigoryeva, RUS W5 Nataliya Berkut UKR W6 Kathy Butler, GBR/SCO W7 Dorota Gruca, POL W8 Jemima Jelagat, KEN W9 Maria Mazilu, ROM W10 Lidia Simon, ROM W11 Constantina Tomescu-Dita, ROM W12 Katie Mcgregor, USA W13 Luminita Talpos, ROM W14 Nicole Aish, USA W15 Elva Dryer, USA W16 Mihaela Botezan, ROM W17 Amy Yoder-Begley, USA W18 Madai Perez, MEX W19 Jenny Crain, USA W20 Dana Coons, USA W21 Kristin Nicolini, USA 40+: W111 Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova RUS W112 Tatiana Titova RUS W113 Carmen Ayala-Troncoso USA W114 Zinaida Semenova RUS W115 Sylvia Mosqueda USA W116 Patty Murray USA W117 Trina Painter USA W118 Michelle Simonaitis USA W119 Tere Stouffer USA

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