FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: IAN FRINK
309-269-9941

FIELD SET FOR 9TH QUAD CITIES MARATHON

MOLINE, IL - The field is set for Sunday's (Sept. 24th) 9th running of THE
Quad Cities Marathon, presented by THE National Bank.

The field includes nine QCM veterans and seven newcomers.

In the men's race, Dzmitry Sivou (Belarus) and Jynocel Basweti (Kenya) own
the best performances in 2006. Sivou was 6th at the Houston Marathon in
2:19:07, while the 19-year-old Basweti won in Buffalo in 2:19:15. Course
record holder Sergey Nochevny (2:18:42 in 2003) also returns. Other top
contenders include Vyacheslav Rodionov (Russia), Jonathan Ndambuki (Kenya),
and former Tulane All American Solomon Kandie (Kenya).

In the women's race, Alena Vinitskaya (Belarus) looks to become the event's
first three-time champion. She won the QCM title in 2003 and 2002.
Vinitskaya placed third in Austin this year in 2:37:17. Valentyna
Poltavska also returns to defend her title from a year ago, she also placed
second in 2004. Poltavska owns the second best time in race history
(2:39:34). Sarah Plaxton (Highland, MI) and Tracy Stewart (Golden, CO) are
top contenders as well. Two elites are making marathon debuts: former
Division I All American and top American at the 2005 Bix-7, Casey Owens
(Cedar Rapids, IA) and Jennifer Paul (Rock Island, IL) round out the
women's field.

The QCM starts and finishes in downtown Moline at John Deere Commons. The
flat and fast course runs through four cities and two states along the
Mississippi River.

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