FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JOHN HANCOCK FINANCIAL SERVICES ANNOUNCES RETURN OF DEFENDING CHAMPIONS
American Olympian Alan Culpepper
the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion, to Run
BOSTON, MA, February 10, 2005 - In its 20th year as the major sponsor of
the Boston Marathon, John Hancock Financial Services today announced the
return of defending champions to the 2005 Boston Marathon, Catherine
Ndereba and Timothy Cherigat of Kenya and the entry of Olympian Alan
Culpepper of Lafayette, Colorado, for the 109th running of the race. The
event will be held on Monday, April 18, 2005.
In the women's field, three-time winner and 2004 Olympic silver medalist
Catherine Ndereba returns to claim an unprecedented fourth title. She has
run the course five times: winning in 2004, 2001, and 2000; finishing
second in 2002, and sixth in her 1999 debut. The first Kenyan woman to win
Boston and a World Championship Marathon, Ndereba is a former world-record
holder, the second fastest marathoner in the world of all time, and has won
or placed second in 12 of her 13 career marathons including Chicago, New
York City, and London.
Timothy Cherigat returns as the defending men's champion. Last year, racing
against past winners Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Rodgers Rop, he had
something to prove coming off a fourth place finish in 2003. As his
competitors were faltering in the high temperatures, Cherigat surged off
the Newton hills and finished uncontested by nearly a minute. He has
placed in the top three spots in four international marathons including New
York City and Monaco, and his 2:09:34 win at the San Sebastian Marathon in
2002 remains the fastest time ever run in Spain.
American Olympian Alan Culpepper joins the John Hancock elite athlete team
with a win at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials and a 12th place at the 2004
Athens Olympic Marathon. A five-time U.S. National Champion in track and
cross-country, the University of Colorado graduate has also competed on
five World Championship and two Olympic teams. He debuted at the 2002
Chicago Marathon and tied Alberto Salazar for the fastest American debut
ever. Culpepper is married to two-time Olympian track standout Shayne
Culpepper.
Find the latest news and information about the Boston Marathon at
www.marathon.jhancock.com/marathon.
About John Hancock and Manulife Financial
John Hancock is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading
Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19
countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in
Canada and most of Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United
States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection
products and wealth management services through its extensive network of
employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by
Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$346 billion (US$274
billion) as at September 30, 2004. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as
'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife
Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.
The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of
the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a
broad range of financial products and services, including whole life, term
life, variable life, and universal life insurance, as well as college
savings products, fixed and variable annuities, long-term care insurance,
mutual funds and various forms of business insurance.
# # #
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TIMOTHY CHERIGAT
Chepkorio, Kenya
BIB # 1
AGE: 28 (12/29/76)
PERSONAL BEST: 2:09:34 (San Sebastian, 2002)
BOSTON MARATHON HISTORY: 1st in 2004 (2:10:37); 4th in 2003 (2:11:28); 10th
in 2001 (2:14:21)
The third time was a charm for defending champion Timothy Cherigat as he
turned in the tactical race of a lifetime on the Boston course. Going into
the race Cherigat did not appear to be a contender having only the eleventh
best time in the field. He proved otherwise, battling high temperatures
and a seasoned lead pack, which included past champions Robert Kipkoech
Cheruiyot and Rodgers Rop. Starting the race conservatively, Cherigat eased
into a top-ten position by the 10K mark and then shifted gears. After
retrieving a dropped water bottle at mile 16 and losing some precious time,
he boldly headed into the hills chasing down the leaders. He soon followed
a similar tactic that burned him in 2003 and put in a surge coming off the
hills. This time he would prevail and the pack became the pursuers as
Cherigat pulled to an uncontested finish almost a minute ahead of runner-up
Robert Cheboror. Cherigat made his marathon debut at Boston in 2001 and
returned to run with the leaders in the 2003 race where he finished fourth
behind winner Cheruiyot.
ADDITIONAL MARATHON HIGHLIGHTS:
11/7/04 ING New York City Marathon 3rd (2:10:00)
11/2/03 ING New York City Marathon 11th (2:15:57)
11/24/02 San Sebastian Marathon 1st (2:09:34)*CR;
fastest time ever
run in Spain
11/25/01 Monaco Marathon 2nd (2:14:39)
CAREER NOTES:
Also edging up in the standings in New York City, Cherigat moved from 11th
in 2003 to 3rd last year, 36 seconds out of first. Prior to New York City,
he acted as pacer at the Chicago Marathon taking the leaders through the
half in a sizzling 62:24. Cherigat specializes in the marathon distance
and does not enter many road races. He instead prefers, as many of the
Kenyans do, to spend time training. The exception in 2003 was the B.A.A
Half Marathon where Cherigat placed third in 64:03. His personal best time
remains his San Sebastian win in 2002, still the fastest time ever recorded
in Spain. Before jumping to the marathon, Cherigat ran a 46:28, ten mile
best with a win at the 2000 Mizuno Erewash Classic and a half-marathon best
(61:22) with a fourth at the 2000 Humarathon 21K in France.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Cherigat is employed by the Kenyan Navy in Mombassa and was promoted to
corporal after his Boston victory. Cherigat is married with a daughter
Isabella and son Tim and lives in Chepkorio, which is located just outside
of Eldoret. He is coached by Dieter Hogan and trains with teammates
Stephen Kiogora, Paul Koech and James Koskei in Kenya and Boulder,
Colorado. American Bob Kennedy has also trained with Cherigat. His
traditional diet of ugali, chicken stew, rice and kale helps fuel his high
mileage routine.
===================
CATHERINE NDEREBA
Nairobi, Kenya
BIB # F1
AGE: 32 (7/21/72)
PERSONAL BEST: 2:18:47 (Chicago, 2001) National Record
BOSTON MARATHON HISTORY: 1ST in 2004 (2:24:27); 2nd in 2002 (2:21:12); 1st
in 2001 (2:23:53); 1st in 2000 (2:26:11); 6th in 1999 (2:28:27)
The defending champion and first Kenyan woman to win Boston, Catherine
Ndereba joins Fatuma Roba, Uta Pippig and Rosa Mota as a three-time winner.
Crossing the tape first this year would put her in a league of her own. In
her opening Boston appearance and marathon debut, Ndereba finished sixth,
but gained valuable insight into the course typography. The following year
she denied Roba a fourth consecutive win by matching the Ethiopian stride
for stride from Heartbreak Hill and pulling away in the final mile.
Ndereba defended her crown in 2001 and as a testament to her potential
trimmed more than two minutes off her previous Boston mark. In 2002,
countrywoman Margaret Okayo beat Ndereba in the closing mile, but both
women broke Pippig's long-standing 1994 course record. Last year, tying the
closest 1-2 women's finish of 16 seconds, Ndereba triumphed in a close duel
which began at mile 10 with Elfenesh Alemu and burst open at mile 25 with
Ndereba prevailing across the finish line.
ADDITIONAL MARATHON HIGHLIGHTS:
8/ 22/04 Athens Olympic Marathon Silver Medal (2:26:32)
11/2/03 ING New York City Marathon 2nd (2:23:04)
8/31/03 IAAF World Championships, Paris Gold Medal (2:23:55,
Championship Record)
4/13/03 Flora London Marathon 2nd (2:19:55)
10/13/02 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 2nd (2:19:26)
10/7/01 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 1st (2:18:47) NR, former WR
10/22/00 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 1st (2:21:33)
11/7/99 New York City Marathon 2nd (2:27:34)
CAREER NOTES:
This year Track & Field News ranked Ndereba the number two marathoner in
the world based on her silver medal Olympic feat and Boston win. She is
currently the Kenyan national record holder, the second fastest marathoner
in the world behind Paula Radcliffe, and has won or placed second in all of
her career marathons except her debut. Her win at the 2003 World
Championships was the first gold medal ever achieved by a Kenyan, male or
female. Continuing her long tenure in shorter road races, Ndereba has
consistently been named one of the top runners in the world since breaking
through in 1996. From a 15:07 5K best to a 48:06 national record 15K to
her 67:54 half-marathon best, Ndereba is more than versatile. This past
year she won the Kobe 21K, and placed second at the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile
and the San Silvestre 10K. On the track she finished third at the Kenyan
National 10,000m Championships in 32:52.8. In 2003 she won the Kenyan
Prisons Cross Country and 5,000m Championships; the Sapporo 21K in a 68:23
course record; the Bix 7 Mile; and for the fifth time, the Beach to Beacon
10K.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Born in Nyeri, Kenya, Ndereba is married to Anthony Maina and has a
daughter, Jane, born in 1997. She is affectionately known as "Catherine
the Great" and is acknowledged as one of the most gracious athletes in the
sport. Her younger sister Anastasia is also an elite road racer. While in
Nairobi she works for the prison system as a telephone operator. In 2004,
the government named a street after Ndereba. Ndereba's hobbies include
knitting and crocheting. She trains in Kenya and also, for more than a
decade, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a group of Kenyan athletes.
===================
ALAN CULPEPPER
Lafayette, Colorado, U.S.
AGE: 32 (9/15/72)
PERSONAL BEST: 2:09:41 (Chicago, 2002)
BOSTON MARATHON HISTORY: Debut
ADDITIONAL MARATHON HIGHLIGHTS:
8/29/04 Athens Olympic Marathon 12th (2:15:26)
2/7/04 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, Birmingham 1st (2:11:42)
10/13/02 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 6th (2:09:41)
ADDITIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
6/19/03 U.S. National Championships 10,000m 1st (27:55.36)
8/24/03 IAF World Championships 10,000m, Paris 14th (28:14.92)
2/16/03 U.S. Cross Country 12K Championships 1st (38:22)
6/22/02 U.S. National Championships 5,000m 1st (13:27.52)
7/14/00 U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000m 2nd (28:03.35)
CAREER NOTES:
U.S. Olympic Trials Champion in only his second marathon, Culpepper made a
bold statement that he was ready to improve upon his track success by
testing his potential over the 26.2-mile distance. At the Olympics he
gained confidence competing against the world's fastest marathoners and
beating most of them with a 12th place finish. In his 2002 marathon debut
in Chicago, Culpepper was second American behind Khalid Khannouchi and tied
Alberto Salazar for the fastest American debut ever.
Culpepper began competing at Coronado High School in El Paso, Texas and won
state titles in the 1,600m, 3,200m and cross-country. He was influenced by
the Kenyans recruited to the University of Texas at El Paso and would often
see them running through town. As a high school senior he competed with
his club team under the guidance of coach Sam Walker. His breakthrough came
in 1996 as a senior at the University of Colorado when he won the 5,000m
NCAA Outdoor Championships and placed tenth at the Olympic Trials in the
same distance. He has since become one of the top Americans in the sport
recording a 10,000m best of 27:33.93 and a 13:27.52 in the 5,000m. He has
won three U.S. National Track Championships, two U.S. National Cross
Country 12K Championships, competed on five World Championship teams, and
competed on two Olympic teams: in the 10,000m in 2000 and in the marathon
last year. Track & Field News ranked him the number one 10,000m runner in
the U.S. in 2003.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Married to track standout and two-time Olympian Shayne Culpepper, they have
a three-year-old son named Cruz, who according to his parents understands
the phrase "Mommy and Daddy are going for a run." Culpepper says this
Olympic experience was a highlight as both he and his wife won their U.S.
Trials to qualify. (Shayne won the 5,000m Trials.) Culpepper started
playing piano when he was a youth and still plays, although he added the
guitar and bass during a college injury to keep busy. He double majored in
geography and sociology at the University of Colorado and after college
decided to make the state his home. He lives just outside Boulder and
trains in the area. He is self coached and says the Olympics gave him a
lot more confidence in his abilities. "I felt like it opened my eyes to
the fact that I can run on a tough course like Boston, despite being a
track athlete, and be successful."
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