PRESS KIT: Elite Runner Bios - 2003 Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race

ELITE RUNNER BIOS

2003 Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race
(last updated July 31)

The following list of elite runners competing in the 2003 Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race includes bio info and bib numbers:

Elite Men

James Koskei
Bib #: 1
Age: 34
Citizen of: Kenya
Residence: Eldoret, Kenya
Best 10K: 27:35.86 (track)
Of note: Defending Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K champion (28:11), and the 14th-ranked road racer in the world, according to Running Times magazine. Also in 2002, took first place in the Falmouth 7-miler, the Lilac Bloomsday 12K, the Albertsons Bay to Breakers 12K (defending champion), the Providence 5K, the Nissin Foods 5000 and the Vancouver Sun Run 10K. Won five major road races in 2001: Boulder 10K, Greater Clarksburg 10K, CVS-Cleveland 10K, Bay to Breakers and Crescent City 10K (defending champion). In 2000, won the Cooper River Bridge Run 10K, setting a course-record 27:40. Finished fifth in the 1999 World Cross Country 4K and third in the 1998 Goodwill Games 10,000m.

John Korir
Bib #: 2
Age: 27
Citizen of: Kenya
Residence: Kenya
Best 10K: 28:01
Of note: A favorite in the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K and ranked No. 1 in the world, he is coming off wins at last weekend's Quad City Times Bix 7K and the Utica Boilermaker 15K earlier in July, the Lilac Bloomsday 12K in Spokane in May and the Crescent City Class 10K in New Orleans in April. In 2002, he placed fifth in the Peoples Beach to Beacon, but placed first in the Greater Clarksburg 10K and second in three events: Utica, the Falmouth 7-miler and the Cherry Blossom 10-miler. Won five major road races in 2001: Falmouth, Bix 7-miler in Iowa, Utica, Peachtree and Cherry Blossom.

Paul Koech
Bib #: 3
Age: 34
Citizen of: Kenya
Residence: Burnt Forest, Kenya
Best 10K: 26:36.26 (track)
Of note: Ranked 6th in the world, he finished fourth at the Utica Boilermaker 15K in July. Took first in the 2002 Kenyan Armed Forces 12K cross-country championship. Finished third in the 2002 Crescent City 10K and fifth in the Azalea Trail 10K. Placed first in the 1998 World Half Marathon and was sixth in the 10,000m at the 1996 Olympics. Won the 2000 and 1999 World Cross Country 12K.

David Korir
Bib #: 4
Age:
Citizen of: Kenya
Residence: Kenya
Of note: Confidence is soaring coming off a big win at hilly Greater Clarksburg 10K in West Virginia last weekend, where he neared the course record with a 28:40.

Linus Maiyo
Bib #: 5
Age: 20
Citizen of: Kenya
Residence: Philadelphia
Best 10K: 27:36
Of note: Young Kenyan ran 27:36 to win Azalea Trail Run 10K in March after finishing second (28:16) in San Juan in February. Coming off a blazing performance (22:11 ö seven seconds off the world record) to win the recent Crazy 8's 8K in Kingsport, Tenn. Put up the fastest 8K and 10K times in the world this year. Finished second to John Korir at Bix 7-miler last weekend.

Gilbert Okari
Bib #: 6
Age: 24 (turns 25 on race day)
Citizen of: Kenya
Residence: West Chester, Pa.
Best 10K: 27:34
Of note: Ranked 8th in the world after winning the Nairobi 10K in July. Took first in the 2001 CVS 5K. Finished second in the 2001 Pittsburgh 10K in a personal-best 27:34, and came in third last year. Also placed third at the 2002 Syracuse Festival 5K and the 2001 Bix 7-miler. Was fourth in the 2001 Crim 10-miler and the Utica Boilermaker 15K. Fifth at the Falmouth 7-miler in 2001.

Habte Jifar
Bib #: 7
Age: 27
Citizen of: Ethiopia
Residence: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Best 10K: 27:06.45 (track)
Of note: Finished eighth in the 2001 Dam tot Dam 10-miler in a personal-best 46:47. Placed 16th in the World Cross Country 12K. More experience on track than on roads.

Peter De LaCerda
Bib #: 8
Age: 31
Citizen of: United States
Residence: Alamosa, Colo.
Best 10K: 28:47t
Of note: Finished second in the 2000 Olympic Trials Marathon with personal best 2:16:18; second American and 7th overall in last weekend's Quad City Times Bix 7-Miler. Won NCAA Div. II 10,000m title at Adams State.

Scott Larson
Bib #: 9
Age: 33
Citizen of: United States
Residence: Superior, Colo.
Best 10K: 28:50
Of note: Walk-on runner at University of Colorado who went on to become All-American. Fourth in 2000 U.s. Olympic Marathon Trials. Finished eighth in 2001 Peoples Beach to Beacon. First U.S. finisher at 2001 New York City Marathon, 13th overall.

Terrence Mahon
Bib #: 10
Age: 33
Citizen of: United States.
Residence: Villanova, Pa.
Best 10K: 28:31 (track)
Of note: Won Bancroft 5K in March. Eight-time All-America at Villanova and 1998 U.S. 20K Road Race champion. Married to U.S. Olympian Jen Rhines, who is also running the Peoples Beach to Beacon.

Godfrey Kiprotich
Bib #: 11
Age: 37
Citizen of: Kenya
Residence: Eldoret, Kenya
Best 10K: 27:48 (track)
Of note: Considered among the top pace-setters in the world. Well-known as a public speaker and as a good teacher, he may be involved in running clinics while in Maine for the race.

Elite Women

Catherine Ndereba
Bib #: 60
Age: 31
Citizen of: Kenya
Residence: Philadelphia
Best 10K: 31:02
Of note: Ranked No. 7 in the world and a four-time champion of the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K, she is out to regain her crown after finishing third last year. Coming off a first-place finish in July at the Sapporo Half Marathon. Last weekend, won the Bix 7-Miler. Won the 2002 and 2001 Crim 10-milers. Won the 2002 Kyoto City and Sapporo half marathons in Japan. Took first in 2002 and 2001 in both the Cooper River Bridge Run 10K and the Long Island 5K. In 2001, won the Bix 7-miler and the Greater Clarksburg 10K. Two-time winner of the Boston Marathon. Ranked as the top women's runner in 1996 and 1998 by Runner's World and Running Times. Ran a world's best 2:18:47 in winning 2001 Chicago Marathon. Also won in 2000; placed second this year.

Constantina Tomescu-Dita
Bib #: 61
Age: 33
Citizen of: Romania.
Residence: Romania
Best 10K: 31:14
Of note: Won Steamboat 4-miler in June and placed fourth at Peachtree 10K in Atlanta. Finished sixth in London Marathon in April in 2:23:43. Successful 2002 season included winning Singapore Marathon and finishing second in Amsterdam. She also won Peachtree 10K and Utica 15K and was third in Steamboat 4-miler and Bay to Breakers 10K.

Ludmila Petrova
Bib #: 62
Age: 34
Citizen of: Russia
Residence: Cheboksary, Russia
Best 10K: 31:53 (track)
Of note: An accomplished marathoner, she won the 2002 California Half Marathon. Finished third in the 2002 London Marathon, and won the 2000 New York City Marathon. Finished second in the 2001 Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Half. Placed sixth in the 2001 World Championship for 10,000m (32:04.94). Competed in the 1996 Olympics in the 10,000m, finishing 13th.

Luminita Talpos
Bib #:64
Age: 30
Citizen of: Romania
Residence: Hamamatsu, Japan
Best 10K: 31:45 (track)
Of note: Ranked No. 18 in the world. So far this year, won the Sun Rise 10K, runner-up at Utica Boilermaker 15K and at Bix 7-miler, and finished third at Peachtree 10K and San Francisco Marathon. Won the 2002 Cherry Blossom 10-miler and the Albertsons Bay to Breakers 12K. Took second last year in both the Utica Boilermaker 15K and the Steamboat 4-miler, and was fifth at the Peachtree 10K. Placed fifth in the 2001 Beach to Beacon 10K. A member of the 1999 World Cross Country team from Romania, she finished ninth in the 1999 World Championships Half Marathon and the 2000 Bolder Boulder 10K. Finished seventh in the 2000 Tokyo Half Marathon.

Kayoko Obato
Bib #: 65
Age: 31
Citizen of: Japan
Residence: Chiba, Japan
Best 10K: 32:57
Of note: Placed 3rd in the 2002 CVS-Cleveland 10K and seventh in the Bloomsday 12K. One of Japan's top marathoners, she finished fifth in the 2001 Osaka Ladies Marathon, and has finished fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh at the Chicago Marathon.

Zivile Balciunaite
Bib #: 66
Age: 24
Citizen of: Lithuania
Residence: Vilnius, Lithuania
Best 10K: 33:04
Of note: Finished third in Los Angeles Marathon in March. Placed fifth in the 2002 Crim 10-miler. A marathoner, she placed fourth in Hamburg and second at Bay Bridge in 2002. In half-marathons last year, she finished third at Berlin and Parkersburg.

Elana Meyer
Bib #: 67
Age: 36
Citizen of: South Africa
Residence: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Best 10K: 30:53 (track)
Of note: Earlier this year, finished third in the Bali 10K. Took second in the 2002 Run London 10K and the Downtown 5K. Won four major events in 2001: the Cherry Blossom 10-miler, the Crescent City 10K, the Bloomsday 12K and the Sendai Half. A two-time Olympian, she won silver in the 10,000m at Barcelona in 1992 and finished 8th in the 10K in Sydney in 2000. Set the world half-marathon mark (1:06:44) in winning the 1999 Tokyo Half; also won in 2000. Three-time champ of the Kyoto City Half. Finished 2nd in 1995 and 1997 Boston marathons.

Rahab Ndungu
Bib #: 68
Age:
Citizen of: Kenya
Residence: Kenya
Of Note: Poised to play role as spoiler, finished third at Utica Boilermaker 15K earlier in July and fourth at Quad City Times Bix 7-miler last weekend.

Silvia Skvortsova
Bib #: 69
Age: 28
Citizen of: Russia
Residence: Cheboksary, Russia
Best 10K: 32:15
Of note: Won the recent Crazy 8's 8K and finished sixth at Utica 15K. Took 3rd in the 2001 Bloomsday 12K and 2nd in the Arturo Barrios. Won the 2001 Fila 5K. One of Russia's top marathoners, in 2002 finished 7th in London and 9th in Honolulu.

Jennifer Rhines
Bib #: 70
Age: 29
Citizen of: U.S.
Residence: Villanova, Pa.
Best 10K: 31:41 (track)
Of note: America's top distance runner, she finished second at the 2000 Olympic Trials for 10,000m. She won the 2002 USATF 10,000m and placed second the previous year. Took third in the 2002 Cardinal Invitational 10,000m, setting a personal record. Finished fourth last year and second in 2001 at the USA Winter Cross Country Championship. Was 14th in her debut last year at the Chicago Marathon. Place second in the 2002 New York Mini 10K (32:19) and 8th in 2003.

Susannah Beck
Bib #: 71
Age: 35
Citizen of: U.S.
Residence: Eugene, Oregon
Best 10K: 33:03 (track)
Of note: A native of Yarmouth, Maine, and a Waynflete graduate, Beck is an accomplished marathoner. She finished third in the 2002 Twin Cities Marathon in a personal-best 2:36.34 and was fourth at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. She took seventh in last year's Beach to Beacon 10K (33:47). Other career highlights include a second at the 2001 U.S. Women's 8K. She was a two-time Maine high school cross country champion and a 1986 Pan Am Games Junior 1,500-meter silver medalist.

Jill Gaitenby
Bib #: 72
Age: 36
Citizen of: U.S.
Residence: Los Osos, Calif.
Best 10K: 35:27
Of note: A top American distance-runner, she finished second in the 2002 Twin Cities Marathon and placed 13th at the Boston Marathon. She came in second at the 2001 New Bedford Half Marathon, and was fifth (17:28) in the Orange County Race for the Cure 5K.

Ichiyo Naganuma
Bib #: 73
Age: 31
Citizen of: Japan
Residence: Chiba, Japan
Best 10K: 34:19
Of note: Placed 12th in the 2002 Bloomsday 12K. An up-and-coming Japanese marathoner, she was eighth at last year's Tokyo Ladies Marathon and seventh at the 2001 Chicago Marathon. She finished fifth at the 2001 Crim 10-miler and was eighth in 2001 at the Beach to Beacon 10K.

Masters

Men
#20 Andrew Masai, 43, Kenya. Two-time Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K winner. Finished second last year.
#21 Eddy Hellebuyck, 42, U.S. Defending Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K masters champion (29:49). Holds American masters 10K mark (29:27). Olympic marathoner in 1996.
#22 Andrey Kuznetsov, 45, Russia. Two-time (1998-99) Boston Marathon masters champ.
#23 Dennis Simonaitis, 41, U.S. Took third in the 2002 Peachtree 10K (first U.S. master).
#24 Gilbert Rutto, Kenya

Women
#74 Elena Parmanova, 42, Russia. 2002 Sallie Mae overall champion.
#75 Carmin Ayala-Troncoso, 44, Austin, Texas. First master at recent Peachtree