Stellar Field Announced for 2014 B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund
2012 U.S. Olympian, 2013 Boston Marathon champion, and 2014 world leaders headline 14thrunning of event on Sunday, October 12.
BOSTON – A year ago, 2013 Boston Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa (ETH) returned to Boston seeking another victory, this time in the B.A.A. Half Marathon , presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. In a brilliant display of courage and determination, Desisa fended off hard challenges from both Daniel Salel (KEN) and Stephen Sambu (KEN), claiming the B.A.A. Half Marathon title in a course record of 1:00:34.
This year, Desisa, Salel, and Sambu will all toe the line once again in Franklin Park, ready to battle for the title of B.A.A. Half Marathon champion.
Desisa, 24, is seeking to become the first men’s champion in event history to successfully defend his title. Over the race’s previous thirteen editions, no male has ever won two B.A.A. Half Marathon crowns before. History won’t deter Desisa, though, who ran a blistering 59:36 at the RAK Half Marathon in the UAE in February.
Whenever he toes the line in Boston , the passionate Ethiopian brings a fire and drive that is hard to match. Last year, he donated his 2013 Boston Marathon champions’ medal to the City in honor of those impacted by the tragic acts of April 2013. It is currently on display at the B.A.A. office in Back Bay , a short distance from the Boston Marathon finish line.
Salel and Sambu, both of Kenya , have had quite the year in 2014 since setting personal bests at last year’s B.A.A. Half Marathon . Salel has set lifetime bests at distances of 5 kilometers, 10 kilometers, and 10 miles, while Sambu has established himself as one of the leading distance runners in all the world.
This year, Sambu has won a plethora of road races, including the B.A.A. 10K, Falmouth Road Race, and Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. By winning the B.A.A. 10K in 27:25, Sambu became the fastest man in the world this year to date (as of October 1, 2014) over 10 kilometers on the road. On his way to his victory at the B.A.A. 10K last June, Sambu established a U.S. all-comers record for 8-kilometers on the roads. Expect a fast pace from Sambu as he covers the picturesque course through Boston ’s Emerald Necklace park system.
The women’s race looks to be one for the record books, as Molly Huddle seeks to become the first American women's winner since Janet Cherobon-Bawcom in 2011. The 2012 Olympian who resides in Providence , R.I. , will be challenged by a stellar field including Ethiopian Mamitu Daska, winner of the B.A.A. 10K this past June, as well as Kenya 's Betsy Saina and Mary Wacera.
With six women who have run under 70 minutes set to toe the line, a race to remember will surely play out between the start and finish in Franklin Park.
Leading the field is Huddle, champion of this year's B.A.A. 5K in April. Two days before the 2014 Boston Marathon, Huddle ruled the streets of Boston , executing a perfect come-from-behind victory over Ethiopia 's Daska. Setting a then personal best of 15:12, Huddle was spurred on by the hometown crowd.
She will take that hometown advantage into the B.A.A. Half Marathon , where the 30-year-old will once again face Daska. Daska has had a year to remember on the roads, winning the B.A.A. 10K in April in an event record time of 31:04. Daska is a two-time champion of the B.A.A. 10K, and has come to adore the city.
With the B.A.A. Half Marathon serving as the third and final race of the B.A.A. Distance Medley, both Huddle and Daska have a chance to earn a nice bonus on race day. If she wins, Huddle will earn an extra $20,000 (USD) bonus for finishing first at two of the B.A.A. Distance Medley events. If Daska wins, she will be the one to pocket the $20,000 (USD) bonus. Placing in the top two will earn Daska $10,000 (USD), while a top three finish gains her $5,000 (USD).
Joining Huddle and Daska on the starting line will be a slew of fast women from East Africa . Kenya’s Betsy Saina, the current world leader at 10 kilometers on the road (as of October 1, 2014), returns to the city after placing fourth at the B.A.A. 5K and second at the B.A.A. 10K, while 2014 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships silver medalist Mary Wacera (KEN) will make her first B.A.A. Half Marathon appearance.
Saina, a graduate of Iowa State University , won the Falmouth Road Race on Cape Cod this summer, while Wacera claimed the top spot at the Utica Boilermaker 15K in New York and the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K in Washington .
Since first being run in 2001, the B.A.A. Half Marathon has seen winners from eight different countries, including four each from Ethiopia and Kenya .
The winner of the B.A.A. Half Marathon will earn $10,000, plus an additional $10,000 if the winner’s time is under the event records of 1:00:34 for the men, and 1:09:14 for the women. In 2013, more than 6,500 athletes participated in the B.A.A. Half Marathon , presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. This year’s field has 8,000 participants.
Men’s Elite Athlete Field (as of October 3, 2014)
NAME
|
CITIZENSHIP
|
PERSONAL BEST
|
Lelisa Desisa
|
ETH
|
59:30
|
Raji Assefa
|
ETH
|
1:00:07
|
Stephen Sambu
|
KEN
|
1:00:41
|
Daniel Salel
|
KEN
|
1:00:41
|
Tesfalem Gebrearegawi
|
ETH
|
1:01:07
|
Leonard Korir
|
KEN
|
1:01:19
|
Isaac Mukundi
|
KEN
|
1:02:26
|
Tekeste Kebede
|
ETH
|
1:02:51
|
Ethan Shaw
|
USA
|
1:04:45
|
Patrick Geoghegan
|
USA
|
1:08:22
|
Cleophas Ngetich
|
KEN
|
Debut
|
For a complete listing of men’s elite athlete profiles, CLICK HERE
Women’s Elite Athlete Field (as of October 3, 2014)
NAME
|
CITIZENSHIP
|
PERSONAL BEST
|
Mary Wacera
|
KEN
|
1:07:44
|
Mamitu Daska
|
ETH
|
1:08:07
|
Molly Huddle
|
USA
|
1:09:04
|
Aheza Kiros
|
ETH
|
1:09:10
|
Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton
|
KEN
|
1:09:16
|
Cynthia Limo
|
KEN
|
1:09:40
|
Sophy Jepchirchir
|
KEN
|
1:11:36
|
Michelle Lilienthal
|
USA
|
1:11:45
|
Mary Wangechi
|
KEN
|
1:12:49
|
Betsy Saina
|
KEN
|
Debut
|
Linet Masai
|
KEN
|
Debut
|
For a complete listing of women’s elite athlete profiles, CLICK HERE
2014 B.A.A. Half Marathon Open Division Prize Structure (Men and Women)
PLACE
|
AMOUNT (USD)
|
|
$10,000
|
2
|
$6,000
|
3
|
$4,000
|
4
|
$2,500
|
5
|
$1,200
|
6
|
$1,000
|
7
|
$600
|
8
|
$500
|
9
|
$300
|
10
|
$200
|
BONUSES
New for 2014, bonuses for event record times established at B.A.A. Distance Medley events will be $5,000 for the B.A.A. 5K, $7,500 for the B.A.A. 10K, and $10,000 for the B.A.A. Half Marathon . Only the single highest bonus will be awarded to a runner.
BONUS INCENTIVES FOR TOP OVERALL FINISHES IN 2014 B.A.A. EVENTS*
· Win three of the four events: $50,000
· Win two of the four events: $20,000
· Place among the top two in three of the four events: $10,000
· Place among the top three in three of the four events: $5,000
* Includes the Boston Marathon .
EVENT RECORD BONUSES
B.A.A. 5K
|
B.A.A. 10K
|
B.A.A. HALF MARATHON
|
BOSTON MARATHON
|
$5,000
|
$7,500
|
$10,000
|
$25,000
|
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