Chicago Marathon 2011 - Men's Bios

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Chicago Marathon 2011 - Men's Field Bios
By Sharon Ekstrom

Jump to: Moses Mosop | Bernard Kipyego | Getu Feleke | Ryan Hall | Bazu Worku | Evans Cheruiyot | Marilson Gomes dos Santos | Bekana Daba

photo credit: Victah Sailer / Photo Run

Moses Mosop (Kenya)
PB: 2:03:06, 2011 Boston Marathon
Kenyan Moses Mosop flew under the radar at the 2011 Boston Marathon to finish second in the fastest debut ever and in one of the fastest times ever clocked in the marathon distance. While his previous accomplishments held promise - a silver medal at the 2007 Cross Country 12.0km World Championships and a bronze medal from the 2005 10000m World Championships, Mosop eased his way into longer road distances unlike many of his compatriots who prematurely jump into the marathon distance without a speedy base in the shorter distances.

In 2010, Mosop, 25, debuted in the half marathon with a sub-60 victory in Milan and one year later won his first marathon in an astounding 2:03:06, despite detractors believing the downhill course and the favorable tailwinds to have assisted the day's incredible finishes.

After Boston, Mosop, husband of 2011 Berlin Marathon winner Florence Kiplagat, spent the month of June working on speed. He nabbed a world record in the 30000m at the Prefontaine Classic and finished third at the BAA 10k behind his 2011 Boston Marathon rivals Geoffrey Mutai (champion) & Gebre Gebremariam (third place).

While Mosop has not raced since June, we cannot predict what is in store for the 2011 Chicago Marathon, but while Mosop may be seeking to legitimize the times earned in Boston, we can only hope for records to be broken.

photo credit: Victah Sailer / Photo Run

Bernard Kipyego (Kenya)
PB: 2:07:01, 2010 Rotterdam Marathon
There is no doubt that Bernard Kipyego of Kenya will be one to watch. Thus far into his career, Kipyego has been decorated with a bronze medal at the 2007 Cross Country 12.0km World Championships and a silver medal at the 2009 Half Marathon World Championships. At 25, Kipyego, part of the new generation eager to better standing records and speedy finish times, has room to grow.

What makes Kipyego a exceptional standout is that he has run five sub-60 minute half marathons since 2009. And most recently finished 2nd at the 2011 Ras al Khaimah half-marathon behind Deribe Merga, another top half marathon specialist. The significance of this being that the last three marathon world record holders have all been masters at 13.1 - Paul Tergat, Haile Gebrselassie, Patrick Makau.

Kipyego with three marathons under his belt - 2010 Rotterdam (5th place), 2010 Berlin (6th place), 2011 Paris (2nd place) - has room to make improvements to break out of the 2:07-2:08 realm. But seeing that Kipyego is only 25, his potential may just be realized at the 2011 Chicago Marathon.

photo credit: Victah Sailer / Photo Run

Getu Feleke (Ethiopia)
PB: 2:05:44, 2010 Amsterdam Marathon
Getu Feleke of Ethiopia may not be a household name in the running world yet, but this 24 year old newcomer is showing potential in events on the roads overseas. Each year he has significant improvements on his marathon finishes before taking victory in his fourth in Amsterdam, joining the elite ranks who are capable of running 2:05 marathons - 2:11:42 (2009 Vienna City Marathon - debut), 2:09:32 (2009 Amsterdam Marathon), 2:08:04 (2010 Prague Marathon) and 2:05:44 (2010 Amsterdam Marathon).

While Feleke's 6th place at Ras al Khaimah (61:28) is not enough to indicate how he will fare at the 2011 Chicago Marathon, it is guaranteed that he will be competitive with the leaders.

photo credit: Victah Sailer / Photo Run

Ryan Hall (USA)
PB: 2:04:58, 2011 Boston Marathon
There is no question that Ryan Hall, is one of the best American marathoners today. As the fastest American marathoner currently in competition, Hall, an Olympian and American half-marathon record holder, began his early career with a number of strong college track and cross country performances before coming into prominence on the roads.

Hall has always broken barriers, starting with his half-marathon debut at the 2007 Houston Half Marathon where he became the first American to ever run sub-60 minutes. His 59:43 victory was the fastest Half Marathon finish by a non-African born runner. Three months later, Hall ran the 2007 London Marathon in a 2:08:24 - the fastest debut ever by an American-born runner. While a respectable finish time, Hall's strategy was notable and seemingly foolhardy - starting in the second pack briefly catching the leaders. Hall proved his mettle to the toughest marathoners in the world. Hall rounded out the season with a victory of the 2008 US Olympic Team Trials Marathon (2:09:02).

Hall was on fire as he returned to the London Marathon in 2008 finishing in 2:06:17, becoming the second-fastest American marathoner behind Khalid Khannouchi whose 2:05:38 at the 2002 London Marathon remains the American record.

Despite the success and promise, Hall's luck turned. Hopeful to medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Hall was tenth place finishing in 2:12:33 which was the beginning of a number of disappointments in his racing career. The pressures to take on the best runners in the world began to mount along with the expectations leading into the 2009 Boston Marathon where many wanted Hall to become the first American to win that race since 1983.

In his Boston debut, Hall pushed a breakneck world record pace in the opening miles of the event running sub-4:45 miles, but faded in the Newton Hills as the rest of the field surged. Hall made a remarkable recovery to finish in third (2:09:40). At the 2009 New York City Marathon, Hall was a favorite in the field but with the lessons from his reckless running in Boston, he ran conservatively to a 4th place finish (2:10:36).

For 2010, Hall returned to Boston and once again pressure mounted for an American, specifically Hall, to win and he believed it as well - studying the Boston course several times leading up to the event. And while earlier in the season a 64:08 (2nd place) from the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Half-Marathon seemed a minor glitch for this speedy half marathoner; perhaps it was too grand a leap of faith. Hall finished 4th in 2:08:41. Discouraged, his racing took a hit - 13th place in the Philadelphia Distance Run (43:56) and withdrawing from the field pre-race at the 2010 Chicago Marathon, squelching the buzz of his attempt to set a new American Record. Hall left Coach Terence Mahon and the Mammoth Lakes training camp and began to self-coach.

Hall entered 2011 with a 2nd place finish at the USA Half Marathon Championships (62:20), but a lackluster performance at the 2011 New York City Half Marathon (63:53, 21st place) was reflected by his own admittance post-race when he attributed the performance to "feeling flat" perhaps as a result of running the two events so close to one another.

Third time was the charm as Hall returned to the 2011 Boston Marathon rematching top African runners. While a victory was far off, Hall earned a massive personal best - 2:04:58 (4th place) - restoring confidence which had slowly been eroding away due to the expectations of all around him.

For the 2011 Chicago Marathon, there has been no talk if Hall plans to set a new American record or take a crack at the late Sammy Wanjiru's course record; but from Hall's race schedule the focus has been on shorter distances like the road mile and the 10K. Hall finished in a personal best of 4:17.2 (13th place) at the USA Championship road mile in Twin Cities. He followed up with two insignificant finishes at Bolder Boulder 10K and Peachtree 10K. He then raced the Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half-Marathon finishing in 63:01 (4th place). Has this all been for training? A bluff perhaps? All and any work will be evident on race day.

photo credit: Victah Sailer / Photo Run

Bazu Worku (Ethiopia)
PB: 2:05:25, 2010 Berlin Marathon
Ethiopian Bazu Worku, 21, is the youngest in the elite Chicago Marathon field; but don't let that fool you. He garnered a second place finish in his marathon debut at the 2009 Paris Marathon setting the World Juniors Record (2:06:15) in one of the fastest marathon debuts at that time.

He followed that performance with two 3rd place finishes - a 2:09:54 at the 2010 Ottawa Marathon and a 2:05:25 on the rainy streets of the 2010 Berlin Marathon. A silver medalist from the Ethiopian 30K National Championships, his racing experience has been limited to a few road races and the marathon distance since late 2008.

Worku is the fourth fastest Ethiopian marathoner to date and remains one to watch as his career is just beginning.

photo credit: Victah Sailer / Photo Run

Evans Cheruiyot (Kenya)
PB: 2:06:25, 2008 Chicago Marathon
Evans Cheruiyot, bronze medalist from the 2007 World Half Marathon Championships (59:05), will be returning to the Chicago Marathon for the second time. Evans Cheruiyot made quite a name for himself on the road circuit in the half marathon. This Kenyan is the 7th fastest half marathoner in the world with 5 sub-60:00 half marathons to his resume. It would be expected that his performances could translate into the marathon distance - as with marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie and former half marathon world record holder Sammy Wanjiru.

Evans Cheruiyot got his start in the marathon at the 2007 Milan Marathon, winning in his debut in a 2:09:16 - a time which was worthy of top elite fields. In 2008, following a top performance at the Rotterdam Half, he won the Chicago Marathon in a time of 2:06:25 tackling 70 degree temperatures.

Gaining confidence in the marathon distance, Evans Cheruiyot took on the esteemed 2009 Boston Marathon, an event well-respected in Kenya as one of the highest achievements; but he failed to perform well. Evans Cheruiyot took 8th place in a 2:12:45 - perhaps an indicator of a beginning injury that would impede his racing through 2010. But he didn't take a rest, instead finishing the year at the 2009 Fukuoka Marathon in 5th (2:09:46). In 2010, not in full fitness, Evans Cheruiyot won the Discovery Half Marathon in Eldoret; which was a price to pay down the road. Following a poor performance one month later at the Rotterdam Half, he was forced to withdraw from the 2010 Boston Marathon and took an absence from racing.

Evans Cheruiyot returned to racing at the 2011 Dubai Marathon taking 2nd place in 2:08:17. Months later he ran the Lisbon Half Marathon finishing 6th in 61:50. He was prepared to rival the top elites in the 2011 Boston Marathon field, but dropped out during the race. Cheruiyot, the 2008 Chicago Marathon champion (not to be confused with 2006 champion Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot), returns to the course where he earned his personal best in 2008. To remain a top Kenyan competitor, he will have to rival his 2:04-2:05 compatriots or risk being written off and if levels of training and confidence strong, perhaps he can surprise us.

photo credit: Victah Sailer / Photo Run

Marilson Gomes dos Santos (Brazil)
PB: 2:06:34, 2011 London Marathon
Two-time champion of the New York City Marathon, Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil, will be returning to the start line of the Chicago Marathon for the second time. After a disappointing 2010, he's had a stellar 2011 Spring race season, clocking personal bests in the 10K and in the marathon (2:06:34, 2011 London Marathon). At the 2011 New York City Half, Gomes dos Santos attributed his peak fitness to the birth of a new baby boy, Miguel.

Flying under the radar in most marathon fields, Gomes dos Santos' earned 9 top ten performances at world class races. Some remarkable performances include a debut at the 2004 Paris Marathon in 2:12:22 (6th place), 2004 Chicago Marathon in 2:08:48 (6th place), the 2005 World Championships in 2:13:40 (10th place), 2006 New York City Marathon in 2:09:58 (1st place), 2007 London Marathon in 2:08:46 (6th place) and the 2010 New York City Marathon in 2:11:51 (7th place).

In 2006 at the New York City Marathon, Gomes dos Santos most notably snuck away from the lead pack to race to victory in 2:09:58. He ran 2:08:37 at the 2007 London Marathon and one sub-60:00 half marathon finish at the 2007 World Championships Half Marathon (59:33, 7th place). The Brazilian repeated his victory at the 2008 New York City Marathon (2:08:43), solidifying himself on the international racing scene.

Gomes dos Santos may not be the fastest in the 2011 Chicago Marathon field; he cannot be discounted given his experience in the distance and his upward career trend. If the leaders who are capable of 2:05 finishes don't start at a blistering pace, Gomes dos Santos who has found a winning race strategy in the marathon may be flying under the radar once again.

photo credit: Victah Sailer / Photo Run

Bekana Daba (Ethiopia)
PB: 2:07:04, 2011 Houston Marathon
Bekana Daba of Ethiopia, best known for his victory at the 2011 Houston Marathon, may be new to the marathon distance; but remains a considerable threat to the 2011 Chicago Marathon field. At 23, Daba has raced only three career marathons. His debut at the 2010 Amsterdam Marathon ended with a 2:14:40 finish - a consequence of Daba blowing up with the fast first half. While he stayed with the leaders and reached the halfway mark at 1:03:05, his second half was 1:11:35.

Daba next went to the 2011 Houston Marathon where he took victory in 2:07:04, setting a new course record in rain and tough conditions. Less than three months later, he raced the 2011 Boston Marathon. While he finished 9th in a 2:08:03, he raced against runners like 2:04 marathoner Geoffrey Mutai and the deepest field of competition he had ever been matched against. If Daba has learned from his past marathon experiences, he remains a wild card in Chicago.