Boston Marathon Anounces Elite Field - plus other race week activities
The field of elite runners that was announced recently for the 107th Boston Marathon has a distinctly Kenyan flair, especially on the men's side, where 11 of the 18 best are from Kenya.

Rodgers Rop wins in 2002  E-mail this page  Printer-friendly page Related info: Cool Running photos from the 2002 Boston Marathon Official Boston Marathon Web Site

Posted Saturday, 12 April, 2003

Leading that group is defending champion Rodgers Rop, who followed his win in Boston last year with a victory in the New York City Marathon -- he's only the fourth man to do so.

The women's field is led by Kenya's Margaret Okayo, who set a Boston record last year when she won in 2:20:43. Okayo's challengers include teammate and 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Joyce Chepchumba, Russia's Svetlana Zakharova, and up-and-coming US marathoner Marla Runyan. South Africa's Elana Meyer, twice a runner-up in Boston, will be back.

A pair of recognizable faces from recent Boston races won't be back this year. Korea's Lee Bong Ju, who broke Kenya's 10-year hold on the men's title with his win in 2001, will instead run the London Marathon as he chases a faster time on a flatter course. Also absent will be Kenyan Catherine Ndereba, who won the 2000 and 2001 women's races. She was second last year, 29 seconds behind Okayo.

Among the Kenyans challenging Rop in the men's field are Christopher Cheboiboch, who was second in Boston last year, and two newcomers to Boston: Vincent Kipsos, 26, and Benjamin Kimutai, 32.
Italy's Giacomo Leone, an Olympian, and Ecuador's Silvio Guerra, who has finished second twice in Boston, are also in the elite field, which is sponsored by John Hancock.

Other Race Week Activities:

B.A.A. WHEELCHAIR DIVISION MEDIA CONFERENCE
Date: Thursday, April 17 3:00 p.m.
Location: Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel, Venetian Room, 138 St. James Avenue, Boston.
Who will be there:
Ernst Van Dyk, men's defending wheelchair champion;
Christina Ripp, top American female wheelchair competitor, runner-up at the 2002 Boston Marathon;
Tim Kelly and Jason Fowler, top Massachusetts entrants;
Bob Hall, first officially recognized wheelchair participant in the Boston Marathon, pioneer of wheelchair road racing.

B.A.A. CHAMPIONS' BREAKFAST
When: Saturday, April 19 10:00 a.m.
Where: Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel, Oval Room, 138 St. James Avenue, Boston

The Boston Athletic Association presents bib numbers to the top competitors;
Margaret Okayo, defending women's champion;
Rodgers Rop, defending men's champion;
Ernst Van Dyk, defending men's wheelchair champion;

Also a tribute to;
Keizo Yamada (1953);
Amby Burfoot (1968);
Greg Meyer (1983);
Joan Benoit Samuelson (1979, 1983)

B.A.A. RELAY CHALLENGE
Presented by adidas in cooperation with the City of Boston
When: Saturday, April 19 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
NOTE: ALL-STAR RELAY - the highlight of the day - at 12:50 p.m.
Where: Copley Square Park, Boylston Street at the Boston Marathon finish line
More than 800 kids from more than 20 youth running clubs that are members of the B.A.A.'s Club 107 will compete in relay races at the 7th annual B.A.A Relay Challenge. adidas All-Stars such as Olympians Todd Williams, Amy Rudolph, Shayne Culpepper and Cheri Kenah will serve as honorary team captains.

The final race is the adidas All-Star Challenge, where two members from each Club 107 team will race with adidas elite athletes, many of whom are U.S. Olympians.

Club 107 and the B.A.A. Relay Challenge are part of the year-round youth program initiative created from the partnership that exists between the B.A.A. and adidas. More than 5,000 Boston-area youths have participated in the B.A.A. Relay Challenge since its inception in 1997.

PARTICIPATING CLUB 107 TEAMS:
RJ Grey Junior High School Acton
Hollis Elementary School Braintree
Attleboro YMCA Attleboro
Baker Elementary School Brookline
YMCA Central Boston
Gordon Mitchell Middle School E. Bridgewater
South Boston Neighborhood Boston
Framingham Middle Schools Framingham
Taft Middle School Boston
MetroWest YMCA Outdoor Center Hopkinton
Johnson Community Center Boston
Blake Middle School Medfield
Greenwood School Boston
Kennedy Middle School Natick
Farragut Elementary School Boston
YMCA West Suburban Newton
Timility Middle School Boston
King Phillip - North Middle School Norfolk
Agassiz Community Center Boston
Boyden Elementary School Walpole
Dearborn Middle School Boston
Norwood Recreation Department Norwood

B.A.A. FREEDOM RUN
When: Sunday, April 20, 8:00 a.m.
Where: Copley Square Park, Boylston Street at the Boston Marathon finish line

More than 3,500 participants from more than 30 countries and all fifty states will warm-up for the next day's Boston Marathon by running a scenic 2.8 miles through Boston's Back Bay and Downtown.

Lt. Raymond Youngs, winner of the Minefield Marathon in Afghanistan last fall, will address the participants from a stage located on Copley Square at 7:50 a.m.

Lt. Youngs will also lead the Freedom Run, running the route, which also finishes at the Marathon's finish line.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino will also address the participants, welcoming them to Boston on Patriots' Day weekend.

BOSTON MARATHON PRE-RACE DINNER
When: Sunday, April 20, 4:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Mayor Menino's appearance at 5:30 p.m.
Where: City Hall Plaza, Boston
Who: Mayor Thomas M. Menino, City of Boston
Guy Morse, B.A.A. Executive Director
More than 10,000 runners from all 50 states and 58 countries will join Mayor Menino and Guy Morse for the traditional pre-race dinner, featuring a buffet and live entertainment.

Contact Jack Fleming (617-212-6009) or Julia Beeson (617-212-6010) at the B.A.A.

Related info:
Cool Running photos from the 2002 Boston Marathon

Official Boston Marathon Web Site

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