FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JOHN HANCOCK ANNOUNCES RETURN OF DEFENDING AND
PAST CHAMPIONS TO 2010 BOSTON MARATHON
2009 Champions Deriba Merga and Salina Kosgei Set To Defend Titles On April
19
Additional Past Champions Return To Celebrate 25th Anniversary of Sponsorship
BOSTON, MA, February 10, 2010—John Hancock Financial today announced the
return of 2009 Boston Marathon champions Deriba Merga of Ethiopia and
Salina Kosgei of Kenya for the 114th running of the race on April 19.
John Hancock has also signed past champions Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and
Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, Dire Tune of Ethiopia, and Lidiya Grigoryeva of
Russia.
In the 2009 men's race, Deriba Merga of Ethiopia clipped Robert Kipkoech
Cheruiyot's three-in-a-row streak and ran away from the lead pack in the
Newton hills, unchallenged to the finish. Merga is just one of three
Ethiopians to interrupt Kenyan dominance of the event over the past two
decades.
Cheruiyot, a four-time Boston winner and the 2:07:14 course record holder,
is back again, fresh from a runner-up spot in New York City. The
formidable Kenyan shares the honor of at least four Boston wins with Gerard
Cote and Bill Rodgers (4 wins each) and Clarence DeMar (7 wins).
In the 2009 women's race, Salina Kosgei was challenged every step of the
way by a determined Dire Tune who sought to defend her 2008 title. In the
closest finish ever recorded, Kosgei edged an exhausted Tune at the tape to
win by one second. The year before, Tune was on the winning end of the
finish sprint as she dueled to the wire with Russian Alevtina Biktimirova,
prevailing by two seconds.
Challenging Kosgei and Tune are former winners Lidiya Grigoryeva and
Catherine Ndereba. A year after winning the 2007 "Nor'easter" Boston
Marathon, Grigoryeva brilliantly won over a highly competitive field in
Chicago. And "Catherine the Great" needs no reintroduction to Boston as
she has written the history books here as the only woman to ever win four
times. Ndereba is the second fastest woman marathoner of all time
(2:18:47) and has earned two Olympic silver medals and two World Marathon
Championship titles.
"As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of our sponsorship, John Hancock
Financial could not be more excited with the outstanding global field of
runners we will have in Boston this year. We are thrilled to have Deriba
and Salina back to defend their titles and wish them all the best. They are
certain to be part of another great race as they will be challenged by
Robert, Catherine, Dire and Lidiya, all past champions and among the
world's best," said Jim Boyle, President of John Hancock Financial. "In the
next few months, we will round out the field, announcing the participation
of other elite runners, but this list today gives a sense of why the
world's top runners return to Boston every spring on Patriot's Day. They
want the challenge of beating the best on one of the world's great courses
to win the Boston Marathon, inarguably one of the world's premier road
races."
Mr. Boyle added that John Hancock is pleased to again fulfill its promise
to the city of Boston and surrounding communities with its continued,
steadfast support of the race.
"Not only will the Boston Marathon once again be a great event for
spectators, it also continues to be a tremendous economic benefit for
Boston and the region, generating a direct and indirect economic impact
estimated at $110 million," he said.
"John Hancock Financial's effort to bring back our defending champions
whenever possible has been a priority, leading to compelling stories and
interesting match-ups," said Guy Morse, Executive Director of the Boston
Athletic Association. "By its commitment over the last quarter century,
John Hancock has helped maintain Boston's position among the world's most
elite marathons."
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