FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Becky Collet
John Hancock
+1-617-572-6435
John Hancock Financial Services Announces 2004
Boston Marathon Elite International Field
Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Catherine Ndereba Head Field Of
31 Athletes for 108th Running on April 19
BOSTON, March 16 -- Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of
Kenya, the defending men's champion, and Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, who
won here in 2000 and 2001, highlight the field of elite athletes for the
2004 Boston Marathon announced today by John Hancock Financial Services,
Inc. In its 19th year as principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon, John
Hancock is proud to offer a field of 31 Olympic, world and nationally
ranked runners from 10 nations who will compete on April 19, Patriots' Day.
In the men's field, Cheruiyot will seek to defend his title against an
elite field of 19 other male runners, including the second- and third-place
finishers last year, Benjamin Kosgei Kimutai and Martin Lel, both of Kenya.
Also in the field will be 2002 Boston Marathon champion Rodgers Rop of
Kenya; Mohamed Ouaadi, who is seeking to become the first Boston champion
from France; Hailu Negussie, an up-and-coming young marathoner from
Ethiopia; and runners from Italy, Poland, Russia and Australia. In
addition, John Korir of Kenya, the top road racer in the world last year,
will be making his marathon debut.
On the women's side, Ndereba returns after a year's absence. The second-
fastest woman in marathon history and reigning World Champion at the
distance, Ndereba will face Elfenesh Alemu of Ethiopia, the 2003 Tokyo
Women's Marathon champion; Jelena Prokopcuka, a two-time Olympian from
Latvia; and Lyubov Denisova, the 2003 Boston Marathon runner-up from
Russia. Among the seven other elite women will be Leah Malot, the Kenyan
national record-holder at 5000 meters who will be running her first
marathon. All will be making history, as the women's elite field will, for
the first time, have a separate start at 11:31 a.m., 29 minutes in front of
the men's field and the masses.
These athletes are part of the John Hancock Running and Fitness Clinic
staff. Since the program's inception in 1986, athletes have visited more
than 93,000 schoolchildren across the country to promote the benefits of a
healthy, active lifestyle.
Speaking on behalf of the clinic athletes, four-time Boston champion Bill
Rodgers said: "We're proud to be part of the John Hancock Running and
Fitness Clinic team, teaching children about health, fitness and how people
live in other countries. The depth of this international field shows how
Boston, the world's oldest annual marathon, touches all corners of the
world as well as the millions of enthusiastic and knowledgeable Boston
fans."
John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:JHF) and its affiliated
companies, including John Hancock Life Insurance Company, provide a broad
array of insurance and investment products and services to retail and
institutional customers. As of December 31, 2003, John Hancock and its
subsidiaries had total assets under management of $142.5 billion.
108th Boston Marathon
John Hancock's 2004 Elite Athlete Field as of 3/16/04
Men's Open Field Personal Best
Benjamin Kosgei Kimutai, Kenya 2:07:26 (Amsterdam, 2002)
Mohamed Ouaadi, France 2:07:55 (Fukuoka, 1999)
Rodgers Rop, Kenya 2:08:07 (New York, 2002)
Hailu Negussie, Ethiopia 2:08:16 (Hofu, 2002)
Laban Kipkemboi, Kenya 2:08:39 (New York, 2002)
David Omiti Makori, Kenya 2:08:49 (Venice, 2002)
Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Kenya 2:08:59 (Milan, 2002)
Daniele Caimmi, Italy 2:08:59 (Milan, 2002)
Grzegorz Gajdus, Poland 2:09:23 NR (Eindhoven, 2003)
Dmitri Kapitonov, Russia 2:09:32 (Eindhoven, 1999)
Timothy Cherigat, Kenya 2:09:34 (San Sebastian, 2002)
Martin Lel, Kenya 2:10:02 (Venice, 2002)
Dawit Trfe, Ethiopia 2:10:38 (Padua, 2003)
Elly Rono, Kenya 2:10:57 (Duluth, 2002)
Robert Cheboror, Kenya 2:11:06 (Amsterdam, 2003)
Stephen Kiogora, Kenya 2:12:29 (Cologne, 2003)
Andrew Letherby, Australia 2:12:45 (Fukuoka, 2003)
Enos Keter, Kenya 2:13:44 (Mexico City, 2002)
Run at altitude
Gudisa Shentama, Ethiopia 2:15:16 (Phoenix, 2004)
John Korir, Kenya Debut
*SCG, Serbia and Montenegro
Women's Open Field Personal Best
Catherine Ndereba, Kenya 2:18:47 NR (Chicago, 2001)
Jelena Prokopcuka, Latvia 2:24:01 NR (London, 2003)
Elfenesh Alemu, Ethiopia 2:24:29 (London, 2001)
Nuta Olaru, Romania 2:25:18 (London, 2001)
Olivera Jevtic, SCG* 2:25:23 NR (Rotterdam, 2003)
Lyubov Denisova, Russia 2:25:58 (New York, 2003)
Malgorzata Sobanska, Poland 2:26:08 (Chicago, 2001)
Ruth Jepkoech Kutol, Kenya 2:27:22 (Dublin, 2003)
Victoria Klimina, Russia 2:28:30 (Providence, 2002)
Irina Safarova, Russia 2:29:20 (London, 2002)
Leah Malot, Kenya Debut
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