ING New York City Marathon to Stage 2009 USA Men's Championship
Olympian Brian Sell enters; special USA Championship-only $150,000 prize purse offered by host New York Road Runners

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Posted Monday, 29 June, 2009

NEW YORK - (June 25, 2009) - New York Road Runners will host the 2009 USA Men's Marathon Championship in conjunction with the ING New York City Marathon 2009 on Sunday, November 1, and 2008 Olympian Brian Sell is the first leading contender to enter the field, it was announced by NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.

NYRR will offer a total prize purse of $150,000 for the USA Men's Marathon Championship, including $40,000 for the winner. The prize money will be cumulative with that earned in the ING New York City Marathon.

"It is extra special for us to have the men's championship back here in New York as we celebrate the 40th running of the New York City Marathon," Wittenberg said. "Brian is a great first headliner to the strong field we expect to have on November 1."

Sell, 31, of Rochester Hills, MI, had his career's finest performance in New York's Central Park at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon, where he finished third in 2 hours, 11 minutes, 40 seconds to qualify for the Olympic Games in Beijing. Sell went on to finish 22nd in the Olympic Marathon in a time of 2:16:07. The second American to finish the Boston Marathon earlier this year, Sell will be making his ING New York City Marathon debut.

"I felt like lightning in a bottle in the Olympic Trials in New York and I'd like to do it again," Sell said. "I have had good races in New York. From the 8K to the Olympic Trials, it's always been a good spot for me, so I hopefully I can have another strong race in 2009."

Sell has been one of America's top marathoners since his attention-grabbing run from the front at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Birmingham, AL. The Hansons-Brooks athlete was ninth at the 2005 IAAF World Marathon Championships, and fourth at the 2006 Boston Marathon.

"New York Road Runners annually puts on one of the world's classic marathons, and they organized one of the greatest ever Olympic Team Trials in 2007," said Doug Logan, the CEO of USA Track & Field. "We look forward to many of our top athletes returning to New York, and to the ING New York City Marathon, to compete for a national title."

New York Road Runners previously hosted the USA Men's and Women's Marathon Championships in 2001 and the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon in November 2007.

For more information, visit: www.INGnycmarathon.org

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