Sept 26 -- On Sunday, October 9,
Returning champion Evans Rutto hopes to hold onto his title against
his Kenyan counterpart - Timothy Cherigat, William Kipsang, Sammy
Korir, and Felix Limo. Pegging to this list of elite athletes is
American Alan
Culpepper who is determinted to take on these Kenyans who dominated
this chicago sport
event over the last decade.
“This year’s men's field has athletes
that have produced record performances in some of the greatest events
in the world,” commented Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski.
“This group of talented athletes have collectively prepared
and focused with the same dedication and goal in mind, to be the
Champion of The 2005 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.”
Khalid Khannouchi has unfortunately had to withdraw
from this year's marathon due to a minor surgery in June. Instead,
he is expected to
take part in the Race Weekend activities in addition to
cheering these
men from the grandstands. Khannouchi is a
four-time LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Champion and former world
record holder.
"It is certainly disappointing that I won't
be competing in this year's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon,"
remarked Khannouchi. "Chicago is the best place in the world
to run a marathon, but due to some setbacks and injuries I won’t
be able to perform at a competitive level. My goal is to join the
thousands of runners this year in Chicago as a spectator and to
be back in the field ready to win the race next year."
Even with Khannouchi’s absence, the men’s
field remains strong and competitive, led by Returning Champion
Evans Rutto. Evans Rutto, 27, in 2003, ran his debut marathon performance
at the Chicago Marathon. Rutto overcame a strong elite field to
win with a record setting fastest debut time of 2:05:50. This performance
also earned him the spot for the sixth fastest time ever.
His success continued in 2004 when he won his second
consecutive LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:06:16.
After receiving amazing support last year from the estimated 1.2
million spectators, Rutto is thrilled to come back to Chicago and
attempt the three-peat. Like his predecessor, Khannouchi, Rutto
hopes to continue to do well on the flat, fast course that defines
Chicago.
Timothy Cherigat, 28, won the 2002 San Sebastian Marathon and set
a new personal record of 2:09:34, also a course record and fastest
time ever recorded in Spain. Two years later he won the Boston Marathon
in 2004 with a time of 2:10:37.
This will not be his first appearance in Chicago.
In 2004 he was a pacer for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, leading
the pack in 62:24. After experiencing The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon
as a pacer, he is eager to compete with the elite field this year.
Alan Culpepper, 33, ran his first Marathon at The
2002 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, placing sixth overall and coming
in second among American males. His time of 2:09:41 tied Alberto
Salazar for the fastest American debut ever. In only his second
marathon, Culpepper won the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in
Birmingham, Ala. with a time of 2:11:42. At the 2004 Athens Olympic
Games, he competed against the world’s best marathoners and
finished twelfth in hot, humid conditions.
This year at the 2005 Boston Marathon, Culpepper
came in fourth with a time of 2:13:30, marking the best performance
in Boston by an American male since 1987. After great success in
only four marathons, Culpepper hopes his fifth marathon and second
time running in Chicago will prove to be his best.
William Kipsang, 28, won the 2003 Amsterdam marathon
running a personal best of 2:06:39, which also broke the course
record. More recently, on September 18, Kipsang won the Dam to Dam
10-miler in Holland, the Netherlands, clocking in at 46:04
In February of 2005, Kipsang won the Seoul International
Marathon after outpacing defending champion Gert Thys of South Africa.
Kipsang clocked 2:08:53 ahead of Thys, who was bidding for a three-peat
in Seoul after back-to-back victories in 2003 and 2004. Kipsang
hopes to have the same fate against Rutto this year, who is also
going for the three-peat in Chicago.
Sammy Korir, 33, is the second fastest marathon
runner in history with a time one second off the world record. Korir
will make his first appearance at The 2005 LaSalle Bank Chicago
Marathon. Korir won five of his first six completed marathons and
holds seven spots in the top 200 all-time marathon performances.
In 2004, Korir raced against The LaSalle Bank Chicago
Marathon defending champion Evans Rutto at the London Marathon.
After a tough fall on the cobblestones by the Tower Hotel in London,
Korir was still able to place second behind Rutto with a time of
2:06:48. This year in Chicago, Korir looks to have better success
against Rutto.
Felix Limo, 25, made his Marathon debut at the 2003
Amsterdam Marathon where he raced to second place with a time of
2:06:42. He came in just three seconds behind Kipsang. Like Kipsang,
Limo also competed in the Dam to Dam 10-miler in Holland, the Netherlands,
placing fifth with a time of 46:48.
His time at the 2004 Rotterdam Marathon of 2:06:14
is the ninth fastest marathon time ever, making Limo the sixth fastest
marathon runner in history. Above him in rankings include Korir
and Rutto.
