Kenyan, Russian Runners Headline Elite Field at Road Runner Akron Marathon
Increased prize purse attracts strong field

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Posted Thursday, 29 September, 2005

AKRON, Ohio - (Sept. 27, 2005) - A tripling of first place prize money to $12,000 for the 3rd Annual Road Runner Akron Marathon has drawn a highly competitive field of elite runners in both the men's and women's divisions.

"After only three years, this marathon has reached the depth and quality of elite runners that will guarantee a battle on the streets of Akron by veteran runners as well as some up-and-coming long distance athletes," said John Tope, the coordinator of elite athletes and the man responsible for bringing them to Akron.

Seven Kenyan runners are among nine elite marathoners signed to run in the men's division of the marathon on Sat., Oct. 1. Based on personal records, 35-year-old Andrew Musuva of Kenya leads the field with a time of 2:12:01. He already has one win under his belt this year at the Carlsbad Marathon in California, plus a third place finish in the Derby Festival Marathon in Louisville. Last year, he won the Quad Cities Marathon on the Iowa/Illinois border and the Newport Marathon in Oregon, plus a 5th place finish in the Baltimore Marathon and a 7th place in America's Finest Half Marathon in San Diego.

Fellow Kenyan James Karanja had a 4th place finish earlier this year at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minn. and his personal best time, which he recorded in 2003, is less than two minutes behind Musuva. Other Kenyan runners competing for the $12,000 first prize money include Charles Kamindo, 23, winner of the Derby Festival Marathon and the Green Bay Half Marathon; Mike Korir, 30, who took 1st place last year in the Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham and the Philadelphia Marathon. Rounding out the men's elite field are Kenyans Albert Kiplagat, Stephen Muturi and Jonah Rono. Rono was the winner of the Inaugural Road Runner Akron Marathon in 2003. Also entered in the men's race are Jaroslaw Cichocki, 34, of Poland and Sergey Emelyanov, 26, of Russia.

The women's marathon field is dominated by eastern European runners led by Irina Bogacheva, 44, of Kyrgyzstan. Over a three year period, she won the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis/St. Paul, the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in San Diego and the Country Music Marathon in Nashville. She was also the 1999 winner of the Los Angeles Marathon and the runner-up in the 2000 Boston Marathon. Her personal best time is 2:26:27.

"Don't let her age fool you," said Tope. "Though now a master runner, Irina Bogacheva has run under 2:30 in the last year and is also a past Olympian."

Five other elite women marathoners are entered in this year's race including Polish runner Wioletta Kryza. The 37-year-old has won 23 marathons in her career including the Cleveland Marathon in 2000, a five-time champion of the Echternach-Luxembourg Marathon from 1996-2000 and a four-time winner of the Taipei Marathon from 1995-1998. Other women in the field include Russian runners Larisa Michailova, Marina Bychkova and Elvira Kolpakova. Peruvian marathoner Maria Portilla, 32, rounds out the women's field. Portilla was a member of her country's marathon team at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Registrations for both the marathon and the relays are running ahead of last year's numbers and organizers believe total registrations for the marathon, the five-person relay and the new two-person relay could top 5,000. For more details about the Road Runner Akron Marathon or to register for the marathon or team relays, visit AkronMarathon.org or call (330) 375 2786 (2RUN).

Contact: Tom Koch, Highland Public Relations, (330) 996-4140

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