By Duncan Larkin
NYC favorite Kenyan James Kwambai pushed Haile Gebrselassie to his world record last year in Berlin. © www.photorun.net
When the head of the New York Roadrunners, Mary Wittenberg, stated that this year’s ING New York City Marathon was the strongest field ever assembled in the race’s 40-year history, she wasn’t exaggerating. In the men’s division, there are two former champions, two Olympic silver medalists, one 2:04-hours marathoner, a four-time Boston champion, and the third fastest marathoner in history: James Kwambai of Kenya. Kwambai tops the list of the pre-race favorites. It was Kwambai who pushed Haile Gebrselassie to set the world record in Berlin in 2008. Earlier this year, he ran a 59:07 minutes half-marathon in Rotterdam, so his fitness is certain. Second on the list is another Kenyan: Patrick Makau. In his debut marathon last year, the 24-year-old Makau ran 2:06:14 hours in Rotterdam. He’s been an outstanding half-marathoner during his relatively short career, having broken the one-hour mark in that distance a record seven times. Strength in the half-marathon should bode well for Makau, however having only run one marathon; he may be challenged to pace himself early in the race.
Also expected to be up in the front are two former New York champions: Hendrick Ramaala and Marilson Gomes dos Santos. The Brazilian, Gomes dos Santos, is the returning champion and has twice won the race through the five boroughs. Besides last year, he upset the field in 2006 He knows the course like no other and is the Western Hemisphere’s fastest-half marathoner, having run 59:33 earlier this year. The other former champion is the great Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa. Ramaala, 37 years old, is not your typical 2:06 marathoner. A practicing lawyer, Ramaala didn’t even begin running until he was cut from his university soccer team. In a recent interview, Ramaala indicated, “I am getting stronger.” Look for Ramaala to push the pace early in the race: his favorite tactic.
The race’s biggest wild card is the 37-year-old Moroccan, Jaouad Gharib. Gharib is most famous for winning the silver medal in Beijing. He ran his fastest marathon, 2:05:27 earlier this year in London. He is a two-time gold medalist in the World Championship Marathon (2003 and 2005). Gharib has a tendency to hang with the leaders no matter the pace.
Not to be overlooked are the Americans. At the top, is the American record holder in the half-marathon, Ryan Hall. Just 27 years old, Hall set his PR in London in 2008 with a blazing 2:07:17. He took third in Boston earlier this year. A good indicator of his fitness for New York was his win at the Philadelphia Distance Run last month. Expected to be with Hall is the 2004 Olympic silver medalist, Meb Keflezighi. After struggling with persistent injuries, the 34-year-old Keflezighi has made an incredible comeback. Earlier this month, Meb broke Ryan Hall’s U.S. 20-kilometer record with a time of 57:52 on the way to his 1:01:00 win at the San Jose Rock n’ Roll Half-Marathon. Rounding out the American contenders is Abdi Abdirahman. Abdi, 32 years old, is a three-time Olympian. He’s won the U.S. 10K championships four times. Last year, he was the fastest American in New York, clocking 2:08:56.
A final top seed is Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot from Kenya. Cheruiyot has had a challenging year—dropping out of the Boston Marathon due to side cramps. He is a four-time Boston Marathon champion and was the first winner of the World Marathon Majors Series in 2006-2007.
A final note about the men’s field: Unfortunately, 31-year-old Kenyan Martin Lel, a two-time NYC champion, suffered from a persistent leg injury and had to withdraw from competition at the last minute. We wish him a complete recovery and good future running times.
Will it be Radcliffe’s Race?
A three-time New York Champion, Paula Radcliffe of Britain celebrates in 2007 with her daughter, Isla. © www.photorun.net
The women’s field at this year’s marathon once rivaled the men’s in terms of depth of talent, but a staggering number of late cancellations has thinned the pack. A total of five top-seeded athletes withdrew due to injury or other extenuating circumstances: Dire Tune, Lornah Kiplagat, Jelena Prokopcuka, Mara Yamauchi, and Tatyana Petrova. Still, the new dynamic of the field holds promise to make it an exciting race.
At the top is the favorite, Paula Radcliffe, the world-record holder in the marathon (2:15:25) and a three-time champion in New York City. She has won eight of the ten marathons that she has run! As a strong competitor she might choose a strategy to lead from the beginning and dictate the pace of the race. There are two other contenders in the women’s field: Salina Kosgei of Kenya and Yuri Kano of Japan. Of the two, the one expected to stay with Radcliffe is 32-year-old Kosgei. In this year’s Boston Marathon, it was Kosgei who beat Dire Tune of Ethiopia in one of the closest finishes in that race’s storied history. Kosgei is known for her strong kick. At the young age of 15, she clocked a time of 2:06 in the 800m. She also is familiar with the race course having run New York in 2005 where she placed fourth. The third ranked competitor, Yuri Kano, is well known in Japan. She won the Osaka Marathon in 2007—her debut—with a 2:24:43. She also won the 2008 Sapporo Half Marathon in 1:08:57 and competed just two month ago in the marathon at the World Chamionships in Berlin, Germany. No Japanese man or woman has ever won in New York, so that may be the motivation Kano needs to hang in there with Radcliffe and Kosgei in a battle for the win.
Speedy Wheels: Big Race Expected in the Wheelchair Division
In the women’s wheelchair division, one favorite stands out: Swiss Paralympian, 40-year-old Sandra Graf. Graf is ranked #1 in the world this year. She won the bronze in Beijing and has an impressive resume with wins in big cities like Berlin and London. Joining her in the front is the course record holder, Edith Hunkeler. Also hailing from Switzerland, Hunkeler has won New York four times and topped her career with a gold medal in Beijing.
In the men’s competition Kurt Fearnley has high hopes for a win. He is the current course-record holder in New York with a time of 1:29:22 and is a three-time champion of the race. Fearnley, who is now 28, won the gold in Beijing. Competing against him will be the 25-year-old American Josh George. who won the Chicago Marathon in 2003, 2004, and 2006. He is recognized sprinter, holding numerous world records at the shorter-distance events. In a course that favors the late-race kick, it will be interesting to see if George can outsprint Fearnley.
An estimated 40.000 participants are expected to be at the start of the largest marathon in the world and will be cheered on by hundreds of thousands spectators along the way.
