Posted: July 20, 2006

Athletics: Simon Bor and Samson Ramadhani confirmed for Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 24th

Simon Bor winning the 2005 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon - Photo: Toronto Waterfront Marathon

TORONTO. July 19, 2006 — Kenya's Simon Bor has confirmed that he will return to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon to defend his title and course record [2:11:57] that he set last Fall. He will be strongly challenged in a great match-up with Commonwealth Games marathon gold medallist, Samson Ramadhani of Tanzania. To make things even more interesting, sponsor Scotiabank has added an additional CDN$20,000 bonus for a new Canadian all-comers mark: the current record is 2:09:55, set exactly 30 years ago by Waldemar Cierpinski of East Germany, at the Montreal Olympics.

Bor, a 37-year old veteran, is in fine form currently, and brings with him a decade of top marathon experience. The native of Kapsabet burst onto the scene with a 2:08:46 at Amsterdam in 1998 and a 2:09:25 victory in Los Angeles in 1999. That time erased an 11 year old course record, and made him the first runner to go under 2:10 in LA—a feat he hopes to repeat in Toronto. He followed this with a 2:08:50 at Vienna in 2000, and then ran his PR of 2:07:55 in Amsterdam in 2002.

Forced to sit out 2003 with injuries, Bor returned only slowly to international competition in 2004. Last March, he returned to LA to run 2:12:13. He followed this up with another 2:12:38 at Rock'n Roll San Diego in June, before setting the new course record with his 2:11:57 on the Toronto Waterfront in late September 2005. Going from strength to strength, Bor had a very impressive win in Hong Kong in February 2006—a performance that lifted his Kenyan National Team from fourth to second place in the Standard Chartered "Greatest Race on Earth" series, and a US$195,000 prize purse. Last month, he placed a strong 2nd at Rock'n Roll San Diego, in 2:10:37.

"Hong Kong was one of the toughest races I've ever experienced, because there were runners fighting really hard so they wouldn't let their teams down," said Bor. "It was a very big fight between us! I'm training hard this year. I'm running well, and am ready for some new records in Toronto."

Samson Ramadhani, winner of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games Marathon will be running the 2005 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

In contrast to the seasoned, tough veteran Simon Bor, Samson Ramadhani offers the exuberance of an exciting young talent, fresh from his 2:11:29 victory at the Commonwealth Games marathon in Australia in March. The 24 year old from Singida, Tanzania, however, is no stranger to major international competition. In only his second attempt at the distance, he ran a remarkable 2:08:01 in London in 2003. That time was good for 5th on the day, one place behind Paul Tergat, one ahead of El Mouaziz, and three places ahead of Hendrik Ramaala. He has also run a 2:10:38 in Seoul in 2004, and a 2:12:08 for 10th at the World Championships in Helsinki last summer.

Inspired to run by the great Juma Ikangaa and by his uncle, "who was the fastest runner in our village," Ramadhani is himself something of a hero in Tanzania now, especially among young people. In May, he was selected by the United Nations to lead a group of youths on a trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro, "to conquer a mountain and world hunger," as part of the UN World Food Programme, "Walk the World" campaign in Africa.

"I am now back training as hard as I was before the Games," said Ramadhani. "I am looking forward to competing in Toronto, and visiting a fellow Commonwealth country. I hope to set a new course record and win the bonus!"

This year will be the seventh edition of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. "Thanks to outstanding long-term sponsorship from Scotiabank and adidas, we've been able to double the event in size over the past 3 years," said Race Director, Alan Brookes, "and we've lowered the course record from 2:17 to 2:14 to 2:11 over the same period. We're thrilled with the match between Bor and Ramadhani, and are expecting them to be at the front of a good pack."

Further information and online entry still available at www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.

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