|
Post-Race Content:
Men's Race Writeups | Women's Race Writeups | Complete Results
2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon - Women's Preview
by Sharon Ekstrom
[editors note: on 10/4/11, 5 days before race day but after this article was written, the Chicago Marathon organizers announced the withdrawal of Benita Willis, Wei Yanan, Inga Abitova and Atsede Besuye - this article has not been updated to reflect those withdrawals]
photo: Victah Sailer / Photo Run
Liliya Shobukhova Winning the 2010 Chicago Marathon
She will look to three-peat in 2011
|
The 2011 Chicago Marathon will host a women's field highlighted by seven women who have run sub-2:25:00 for the marathon; including two-time defending champion Liliya Shobukhova (RUS), Askale Tafa (ETH), Inga Abitova (RUS), Benita Willis (AUS), Wei Yanan (CHN), Maria Konovalova (RUS) and Christelle Daunay (FRA). Many of the athletes will be running Chicago to improve their personal best times and at the same time qualify or clinch a spot for their nation's Olympic team for the 2012 Olympics. The fast, flat Chicago Marathon course has seen twenty-four sub-2:25 finishes in past years and produced two women's world records - Paula Radcliffe (2:17:18, 2002) and Catherine Ndereba (2:18:47, 2001).
Shobukhova: Race Favorite & World Marathon Majors Series Leader
The Russian marathon record holder, Liliya Shobukhova, 33, will be the favorite in the field and will be looking for her third consecutive victory in Chicago. This former 3000m and 5000m specialist has been a major player in the marathon since her debut at the 2009 London Marathon (2:24:24) and has been getting faster each year. Her amazing finishing kick has left competitors in the dust and earned her 3 of 5 marathon victories. A notable thing about Shobukhova is that she does not merely challenge the other women for a victory, she has a personal quest to better her times - this in an age where many of the women's races are characterized by conservative/tactical (very slow starts!) runs. With Shobukhova's last two marathon finishes sub 2:20:30, we know that a sub-2:20 finish will be Shobukhova's goal.
[editors note: on 10/5/11, after this article was written, New York City Marathon officials announced that Edna Kiplagat had withdrawn from the race, guaranteeing Shobukhova the World Marathon Majors title and $500,000].
A good performance from Shobukhova will also guarantee her a $500,000 bonus at the end of the year. After winning the 2009/2010 World Marathon Majors Series and the $500,000 prize, Shobukhova leads the standings for the 2010/2011 Series and will clinch the win of that prize with a finish of 3rd place or better.
The Russians: From the Track to the Roads
Russian women will be well represented at the Chicago Marathon. Liliya Shobukhova the 3000m and 5000m European record holder, was a success on the track before advancing to the marathon, and her track experience can be seen in her strong finishing kick which ensures her victory in the final Ks of a race. The roster for the 2011 Chicago Marathon will see competition from two additional Russian women also from very strong track backgrounds - Inga Abitova and Maria Konovalova.
Abitova, the 10000m 2010 European Cup Silver Medalist and 2006 European Cup Champion, has nine career marathons to her name, eight of which are top 10 finishes. Her second place finish at the 2010 London Marathon in 2:22:19 behind Shobukhova was the fourth fastest finish by a woman in 2010. [Shobukhova's finishes were first and second fastest] Maria Konovalova, a 2010 National Champion and Russian record holder in the 2000m and two-time 5000m national champion (2009, 2010) was third at the 2010 Chicago Marathon in a personal best of 2:25:50 and will be looking to improve that. Konovalova, a veteran runner at 37 and also a thyroid cancer survivor, is still new to the marathon distance and may shine at the 2011 event.
Other International Contenders
While Russian women have won the Chicago Marathon for the past three years (Shobukhova in 2010/2009 and Lidiya Grigoryeva in 2008), other women in the field will certainly give chase to break the streak.
- Askale Tafa returns to the Chicago Marathon after a disappointing finish in 2010. Taf, the second fastest Ethiopian female marathoner of all time with her personal best of 2:21:31 from the 2008 Berlin Marathon. With a resume of top performances, Tafa has won the Paris, Dubai and Milan Marathons; but raced to a disappointing 12th place at the 2010 Chicago Marathon after a knee injury affected her training before the race.
- Christelle Daunay is coming off a year of personal bests and will also be in the lead pack. Her personal best of 2:24:22 at the 2010 Paris Marathon was very strong, and having spent the earlier part of 2011 racing on the track, Daunay took silver at the 2011 European Cup 10000m and will be running her first marathon of the year.
- Benita Willis plans to return to the marathon distance at the 2011 Chicago Marathon. The Australian track and road racing star who has not raced a marathon since the 2008 Beijing Games where she ran a disappointing 2:32:06 (21st place). At the time, she attributed the mediocre performance to her mindset following the death of her father and divorce from her husband; but those trials should be behind her.
- China's Wei Yanan, who began marathoning at age 18 has run 30 marathons. Of those, Yanan has seven victories. While predominantly racing in Asia, it will be good to see her test herself against such an international field.
- Ejegayehu Dibaba (ETH), the silver medalist from the 2004 Athens Olympics and double bronze at the 5000m and 10000m at the 2005 World Championships, will be debuting at the marathon. From a talented family of runners, Dibaba's sister Tirenush holds double gold from Beijing (5000m and 10000m) and is the world record holder in the 5000m. And her cousin Derartu Tulu, a veteran marathoner, was double gold in the 10000m (1992, 2000 Olympics). It will be interesting to see her transition to the roads.
Elite Women's Lineup:
| Female Elite Athletes |
| Athlete | Country | Bib | Personal Best | Chicago |
| Liliya Shobukhova (33) | RUS | 101 | 2:20:15, London, 2011 | History |
| Kayoko Fukushi (29) | JPN | 102 | 2:40:54, Osaka, 2008 | History |
| Christelle Daunay (36) | FRA | 103 | 2:24:22, Paris, 2010 | History |
| Ejegayehu Dibaba (29) | ETH | 104 | Debut | History |
Benita Willis (32) | AUS | 105 | 2:22:36, Chicago, 2006 | History |
| Yue Cao (20) | CHN | 106 | 2:29:50, Dalian, 2011 | History |
Wei Yanan (29) | CHN | 107 | 2:23:12, Seoul, 2007 | History |
| Askale Tafa (27) | ETH | 108 | 2:23:23, Dubai, 2008 | History |
| Belainesh Gebre (23) | ETH | 109 | 2:32:13, Honolulu, 2010 | History |
Inga Abitova (22) | RUS | 110 | 2:22:19, London, 2010 | History |
| Maria Konovalova (37) | RUS | 111 | 2:23:50, Chicago, 2010 | History |
| Claire Hallissey (28) | GBR | 112 | 2:36:13, New York, 2010 | History |
| Cruz Nonata da Silva (37) | BRA | 113 | Debut | History |
| Malika Mejdoub (29) | MAR | 114 | Debut | History |
| Jeannette Faber (29) | USA | 116 | 2:39:41, New York, 2010 | History |
| Leah Thorvilson (32) | USA | 117 | 2:37:55, Green Bay, 2009 | History |
| Lanni Marchant (27) | CAN | 118 | 2:49:14, Ottawa, 2011 | History |
Atsede Besuye (23) | ETH | | 2:24:26, Dubai, 2011 | History |
Past Head-To-Head Women's Athlete Meetings
| Rio de Janeiro Olympics - Aug 14, 2016 |
|
14
|
Kayoko Fukushi (JPN)
|
2:29:53
|
|
24
|
Lanni MARCHANT (CAN)
|
2:33:08
|
| Toronto Waterfront - Oct 18, 2015 |
|
5
|
Lanni Marchant (CAN)
|
2:28:09
|
|
6
|
Atsede Habtamu (ETH)
|
2:29:40
|
| London - Apr 22, 2012 |
|
11
|
Claire Hallissey (GBR)
|
2:27:44
|
|
16
|
Maria Konovalova (RUS)
|
2:30:29
|
| Houston Trials - Jan 14, 2012 |
|
21
|
Jeannette Faber (USA)
|
2:36:50
|
|
55
|
Leah Thorvilson (USA)
|
2:42:09
|
| Chicago - Oct 9, 2011 |
|
1
|
Liliya Shobukhova (RUS)
|
2:18:20
|
|
1
|
Ejegayehu Dibaba (ETH)
|
2:22:09
|
|
2
|
Kayoko Fukushi (JPN)
|
2:24:38
|
|
4
|
Christelle Daunay (FRA)
|
2:26:41
|
|
5
|
Claire Hallissey (GBR)
|
2:29:27
|
|
7
|
Yue Chao (CHN)
|
2:32:57
|
|
9
|
Cruz Nonata da Silva (BRA)
|
2:35:35
|
|
10
|
Jeannette Faber (USA)
|
2:36:58
|
| London - Apr 17, 2011 |
|
2
|
Liliya Shobukhova (RUS)
|
2:20:15
|
|
10
|
Maria Konovalova (RUS)
|
2:25:18
|
|
13
|
Inga Abitova (RUS)
|
2:26:31
|
| New York City - Nov 7, 2010 |
|
4
|
Inga Abitova (RUS)
|
2:29:17
|
|
6
|
Christelle Daunay (FRA)
|
2:29:29
|
|
18
|
CLAIRE HALLISSEY (GBR)
|
2:36:13
|
| London - Apr 25, 2010 |
|
1
|
Liliya Shobukhova (RUS)
|
2:22:00
|
|
2
|
Inga Abitova (RUS)
|
2:22:19
|
|
12
|
Atsede Habtamu (ETH)
|
2:31:41
|
|
16
|
Maria Konovalova (RUS)
|
2:35:21
|
| London - Apr 26, 2009 |
|
3
|
Liliya Shobukhova (RUS)
|
2:24:24
|
|
6
|
Inga Abitova (RUS)
|
2:25:55
|
| Beijing Olympics - Aug 17, 2008 |
|
20
|
Christelle DAUNAY (FRA)
|
2:31:48
|
|
21
|
Benita Willis (AUS)
|
2:32:06
|
| London - Apr 22, 2007 |
|
7
|
Benita Willis (AUS)
|
2:29:47
|
|
9
|
INGA ABITOVA (RUS)
|
2:34:25
|
|
|
|
