FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Monti, Editor & Publisher
david@raceresultsweekly.com
+19173852666 (New York)
Bob Ramsak, Assistant Editor
bob@raceresultsweekly.com
+38631490208 (Ljubljana)
RACE RESULTS WEEKLY ANNOUNCES 2006 MARATHONER RANKINGS
Deena Kastor and Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot Given #1 Rankings
NEW YORK (December 26) -- Race Results Weekly, the wire service of distance running,
announced today that American Deena Kastor and Kenyan Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot were
the top-ranked marathon runners of 2006. RRW produced for the second time an annual
top-10 marathoner ranking based on key victories, head-to-head competition, fast
times, consistent performances in multiple races and, in some cases, heroic efforts.
“Bob and I really struggled with these rankings because the top three women and the
top two men all had terrific years,” said Editor & Publisher, David Monti, referring
to Assistant Editor Bob Ramsak. “Deena Kastor, Jelena Prokopcuka and Berhane Adere
had one big victory each, and both Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Haile Gebrselassie
had two big wins. We had to make some difficult choices.”
Kastor, 33, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., defeated a top-class field at the Flora London
Marathon last April in 2:19:36, the eighth-fastest performance of all-time, a North
American record, and the 2006 world leader. Although she finished sixth at the ING
New York City Marathon some seven months later --soundly defeated by Prokopcuka--
Kastor was given the #1 rank over the Latvian star, who was ranked #2.
“Despite a bad day in New York, her world leader in London against the best field of
the year gives her the edge,” explained Ramsak, who also publishes the Track Profile
News Service.
The Ethiopian Adere was given the #3 rank for winning the LaSalle Bank Chicago
Marathon and finishing fourth at London. Prokopcuka’s second place at April’s BAA
Boston Marathon gave her a slight edge over Adere in the rankings.
Two Kenyans, Rita Jeptoo and Catherine Ndereba, were ranked fourth and fifth,
respectively. Jeptoo won at Boston and finished fourth at New York. Ndereba won at
Osaka and was third at New York.
CHERUIYOT BY A WHISKER OVER GEBRSELASSIE
Cheruiyot, 28, who won both the BAA Boston and LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathons, got
the #1 ranking over Ethiopian legend Gebrselassie because the fields he beat in
Boston and Chicago were stronger and larger than those which Gebrselassie defeated
at the real,- Berlin and Fukuoka Marathons. Gebrselassie ran the world-leading time
at Berlin (2:05:56), but finished ninth at London. He and Cheruiyot did not face
each other during the year.
“Cheruiyot was the first man ever to win Boston and Chicago in the same year, a
historic feat,” said Monti. “He also ran the fastest time ever at Boston: 2:07:14.”
Felix Limo, also of Kenya, was given the #3 ranking based on his memorable victory
at the Flora London Marathon. ING New York City Marathon Champion, Marilson Gomes
dos Santos of Brazil, was the #4 ranker, while Kenyan Martin Lel (second at London)
was ranked #5. Limo, Gomes dos Santos and Lel only ran one marathon each.
The complete rankings follow, including our exclusive Honorable Mention section
where we recognize additional athletes who had strong years at the marathon
distance. The rankings only consider performances by these athletes at the marathon
distance during 2006.
# # # # # #
ABOUT RACE RESULTS WEEKLY: Founded in 1994, Race Results Weekly is the professional
distance running results and news service relied upon by running industry
professionals. RRW covers over 2000 middle and long distance races each year; no
source is more comprehensive or respected. Subscription information is available at
http://www.raceresultsweekly.com.
2006 Race Results Weekly Marathoner Rankings - Women
1. Deena Kastor (USA):
(1) Flora London 2:19:36 AR/WL
(6) ING New York City 2:27:54
2. Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT):
(2) BAA Boston 2:23:48
(1) ING New York City 2:25:05
3. Berhane Adere (ETH):
(4) Flora London 2:21:52 NR*
(1) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:20:42 NR
4. Rita Jeptoo (KEN):
(1) BAA Boston 2:23:28 PB
(4) ING New York City 2:26:59
5. Catherine Ndereba (KEN):
(1) Osaka 2:25:05
(3) ING New York City 2:26:58
6. Zhou Chunxiu (CHN):
(1) Seoul 2:19:51 PB/CR
(DNF) Xiamen
(1) Asian Games 2:27:03
7. Galina Bogomolova (RUS):
(5) Flora London 2:21:58
(2) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:20:47 NR
8. Gete Wami (ETH):
(2) Los Angeles 2:25:26
(1) real,- Berlin 2:21:34 NR*
9. Tatiana Hladyr (UKR):
(1) Roma 2:25:44 NR/CR
(2) ING New York City 2:26:05
10. Ludmila Petrova (RUS):
(2) London 2:21:29 NR*
(8) Chicago 2:27:08
*Surpassed later in the year
Honorable Mention (alphabetical order):
Susan Chepkemei (KEN): (3) Flora London 2:21:46 PB; (10) ING New York City 2:32:45.
Rose Cheruiyot (KEN): (2) Conenergy Hamburg 2:27:09 PB; (1) ING Amsterdam 2:28:26.
Lyubov Denisova (RUS): (3) Los Angeles 2:26:18; (1) Honolulu 2:27:19 CR.
Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS): (1) Los Angeles 2:25:10 PB/CR; (5) ING New York City 2:27:21.
Harumi Hiroyama (JPN): (1) Nagoya 2:23:26; (2) Shanghai 2:32:33.
Benita Johnson (AUS): (3) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:22:36 NR.
Salina Kosgei (KEN): (8) Flora London 2:28:40; (2) real,- Berlin 2:23:22 PB; (1)
Standard Chartered Singapore 2:31:55 CR.
Tomo Morimoto (JPN): (5) Osaka 2:27:46; (1) Vienna 2:24:33 PB.
Kayoko Obata (JPN): (2) Osaka 2:25:52; (3) Asian Games 2:30:38.
Madai Pérez (MEX): (4) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:22:59 NR.
Yoko Shibui (JPN): (2) Nagoya 2:23:58.
Kioko Shimahara (JPN): (3) Osaka 2:26:47; (5) Boston 2:26:52; (2) Asian Games 2:30:34.
Robe Tola (ETH): (1) Conenergy Hamburg 2:24:35 PB; (7) Messe Frankfurt 2:39:18.
Constantina Tomescu-Dita (ROM): (7) Flora London 2:27:51; (5) LaSalle Bank Chicago
2:24:25.
Reiko Tosa (JPN): (3) BAA Boston 2:24:11; (1) Tokyo 2:26:15.
Sun Weiwei (CHN): (1) Xiamen 2:26:32; (2) Ford Köln 2:29:45; (1) ANA Beijing 2:34:41.
2006 Race Results Weekly Marathoner Rankings - Men
1. Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (KEN):
(1) BAA Boston 2:07:14 CR/PB
(1) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:07:35
2. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH):
(9) Flora London 2:09:05
(1) real,- Berlin 2:05:56 NR/WL
(1) Fukuoka 2:06:52
3. Felix Limo (KEN):
(1) Flora London 2:06:39
4. Marilson Gomes dos Santos (BRA):
(1) ING New York City 2:09:58
5. Martin Lel (KEN):
(2) Flora London 2:06:41 PB
6. Stefano Baldini (ITA):
(5) Flora London 2:07:22 NR
(1) Euro Champs 2:11:32
(6) ING New York City 2:11:33
7. Julio Rey (ESP):
(1) Conenergy Hamburg 2:06:52 CR/NR
(3) Euro Champs 2:12:37
8. Hendrick Ramaala (RSA):
(3) Flora London 2:06:55 PB
(9) ING New York City 2:13:04
9. Daniel Njenga (KEN):
(2) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:07:40
10. Sammy Korir (KEN):
(1) Fortis Rotterdam 2:06:38
(3) Tokyo 2:10:07
(DNF) real,- Berlin
Honorable Mention (alphabetical order):
Dmytro Baranovsky (UKR): (3) Vienna 2:10:56; (2) Fukuoka 2:07:15 NR.
Robert Cheboror (KEN): (2) Conenergy Hamburg 2:07:37; (5) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:09:25.
Benson Cherono (KEN): (1) Los Angeles 2:08:40; (1) Samsung Milano 2:07:58 PB/CR.
Jaouad Gharib (MAR): (8) Flora London 2:08:45; (3) Fukuoka 2:07:19.
Khalid Khannouchi (USA): (4) London 2:07:04.
Charles Kibiwott (KEN): (3) Fortis Rotterdam 2:06:52 PB; (13) LaSalle Bank Chicago
2:15:00.
Stephen Kiogora (KEN): (3) Rock 'n' Roll San Diego 2:11:45; (2) ING New York City
2:10:06.
Paul Kirui (KEN): (2) Fortis Rotterdam 2:06:44 PB; (2) Joon Ang Seoul 2:09:05.
Jason Mbote (KEN): (2) Seoul 2:11:40; (1) Joon Ang Seoul 2:08:13 PB/CR.
Jimmy Muindi (KEN): (5) Seoul 2:12:20; (3) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:07:51; (2)
Honolulu 2:14:39.
Rodgers Rop (KEN): (6) Flora London 2:07:34 PB; (5) ING New York City 2:11:24.
Ambesse Tolossa (ETH): (1) Tokyo 2:08:58; (1) Rock 'n' Roll San Diego 2:10:08; (1)
Honolulu 2:13:42.
ENDS
