A quartet of the world's most dominant female long-distance runners, including 2004 Olympic marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor, 2008 Olympian Mara Yamauchi of Great Britain, 2009 Hokkaido Marathon champion Kiyoko Shimahara of Japan, and 2008 NYC Half-Marathon runner-up Madaí Pérez of Mexico, will compete in the first spring running of the NYC Half-Marathon on March 21.Both Yamauchi and Kastor, the 2006 London Marathon champion, will be using the 13.1-mile race as a final tune-up for the Virgin London Marathon in April.
"The woman's lineup is now jam-packed with some of the world's greatest runners including American veteran Deena and international stars like Mara, Kiyoko, and Madaí," said Wittenberg. "The race will only up the intrigue leading into the spring marathons."
American marathon record-holder and three-time Olympian Kastor, 37, competed in the summer edition of the NYC Half-Marathon in 2009, finishing in seventh place (1:13:47). Earlier this year, Kastor made her 2010 racing debut, winning the P.F. Chang's Rock ‘n' Roll Half-Marathon held in Phoenix in 1:09:43.
"This fits perfectly into my preparations. I look forward to testing my fitness on the roads of New York City," said Kastor. "New York Road Runners always attracts the best distance runners in the world to their events, and the NYC Half-Marathon is no exception."
The Japan-based Yamauchi, 36, who represents Great Britain, will be making her NYC Half-Marathon debut. The 2009 London Marathon runner-up and 2008 Olympian finished sixth in the Marugame Half-Marathon earlier this year in her first race since a foot injury prevented her from competing in the World Championships in Berlin last summer. The injury was a momentary setback for Yamauchi, who scored victories in the 2009 Matsue Half-Marathon and 2009 Marugame Half-Marathon.
"The atmosphere and support in New York is fantastic. I am really looking forward to racing against top-level competitors in this event," said Yamauchi. "This will be my final tune-up, so I can sharpen my race tactics before heading to London."
One of Japan's strongest competitors, Shimahara, 33, of Tokyo, will be making her second appearance in the NYC Half-Marathon-she finished 10th in 2008. In 2009, Shimahara won the Hokkaido Marathon and finished second in the Yokohama Marathon and Honolulu Marathon.
Pérez, 30, of Mexico City, will be making her third appearance in the NYC Half-Marathon after finishing fifth in 2007 and second in 2008 in a personal best time of 1:10:26. The Mexican record-holder in the marathon (2:22:59), Perez is coming back from maternity leave; she had her second child last year.
On the American side, Sally Meyerhoff, 26, of Scottsdale, AZ, who was the 2009 USA 25K Championship runner-up, will make her NYC Half-Marathon debut. Representing ZAP Fitness/Reebok, Jessica Minty, 25, of Blowing Rock, NC, who placed 12th at the USA Half-Marathon Championship earlier this year, also joins the field.
Previously announced, the NYC Half-Marathon will offer the largest half-marathon prize purse in the United States: $100,000. The men's and women's champions will each earn $20,000, the largest first-prize checks for a non-marathon race in the country.
The NYC Half-Marathon continues to attract leading professional athletes and recreational runners from around the world. In 2009, more than 19,000 people applied to run the race, and more than 10,000 finished.
On a course designed to celebrate New York City, the NYC Half-Marathon will take runners on a loop through Central Park, down Seventh Avenue through Times Square, across 42nd Street, and along the expansive West Side Highway to Chambers Street in the heart of the city's financial district.
| NYC Half-Marathon Leading Ladies | ||||
| Name | Deena Kastor | Mara Yamauchi | Madaí Pérez | Kiyoko Shimahara |
| Age | 37 | 36 | 30 | 33 |
| Hometown | Mammoth Lakes, Calif. | Tokyo, Japan | Mexico City, Mexico | Tokyo, Japan |
| Half-Marathon Personal Best | 1:07:34, Berlin, 2006 | 1:08:29, Marugame, 2009 | 1:10:26, New York, 2008 | 1:10:16, Miyazaki, 2006 |
ShareThis