Races — Will Radcliffe three-peat at ING New York City Marathon?

New York, NY — Three-time ING New York City Marathon champion and marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain will return to the New York streets to defend her title at the ING New York City Marathon 2009 on Sunday, November 1.

Paula Radcliffe at NYC 2007

Radcliffe, who was sidelined with a foot injury earlier this year, withdrew from the women’s marathon at the IAAF World Championships in August due to lack of preparation. After having bunion surgery in March, Radcliffe made her first start of the year by winning the NYC Half-Marathon in August for her seventh straight road race victory in New York City.

“This is uncharted territory. New York hasn’t had a four-time champion runner since the great Grete Waitz won her fourth in 1982,” said Wittenberg. “Paula is an important figure in the history of our race, and it’s only fitting that she’ll step to the line as the race favorite at our 40th running.”

Radcliffe, 35, is only the second woman to win the New York City Marathon three times, claiming her most recent victory last year in 2:23:56. Radcliffe captured her first crown in 2004 in dramatic fashion when she out-dueled Kenyan Susan Chepkemei by three seconds in the closest women’s finish in race history.

Radcliffe has won a career New York “grand slam” by adding this summer’s NYC Half-Marathon title to victories at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile, NYRR Mini 10K, and the ING New York City Marathon.

Radcliffe owns the women’s marathon world record of 2:15:25, which she set in 2003 at the London Marathon. She has run four of the five fastest women’s marathon times in history.

Radcliffe joins a field that includes previously announced past champions Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil (2006, 2008), Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa (2004), Paula Tergat (2005) and Martin Lel of Kenya (2003, 2007), and Ludmila Petrova of Russia (2000).

Athletes will be vying for a total guaranteed prize purse of $800,000, the largest in race history. In celebration of the 40th running of the New York City Marathon, a new champion’s bonus of $70,000 will be awarded to any past champion who wins this year, bringing a former champion’s first-place prize this year to $200,000.

Source: New York Marathon
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