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CONTACT: Robin Monsky
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Chicago - THE LASALLE BANK CHICAGO MARATHON DRAWS NDEREBA, KIPLAGAT AND OKAYO

1999's #1 Ranked Woman, 2000's Hottest Runner & Chicago Runner-Up To Compete

Chicago (August 29, 2000) - Three of the fastest female distance runners in the world are coming to Chicago to run The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon on October 22,2000 according to Carey Pinkowski, executive race director. "Catherine Ndereba, Lornah Kiplagat and Margaret Okayo will all toe the line this fall, giving our women's field the same kind of amazing speed and strength we have on the men's side," said Pinkowski.

Ndereba, a Kenyan citizen who lives year-round in Philadelphia, was ranked #1 by both Runner's World and Running Times in 1999 when she won 15 of 19 races in the United States. On a worldwide basis, the 28-year old competed 31 times last year, the most in her career, and finished in the money in 25 of them. She has continued her winning ways in 2000 by posting nine wins, three 2nds and a two 3rds in 18 outings, highlighted by her 2:26:11 win in April at the Boston Marathon. Ndereba has won four of her last six races this summer. She made her marathon debut in 1999 at Boston, finishing sixth, then came on strong to take second at the New York Marathon that year in 2:27:34. Ndereba was the bronze medalist at the 1999 IAAF Half Marathon Championships.

With four months remaining in the year, Kiplagat arguably has wrapped up Runner of the Year honors for 2000 based on the fact that she has set course records in eight of her ten victories, including traditionally tough races like The Peachtree Road Race and The Falmouth Road Race, and she set the current year world's best 1:06:56 Half Marathon in The Hague's City Pier City race in March. She has been out of the money only twice in 15 efforts this year, has a seven-race win-streak dating back to May 14th and has won 10 of her last 11 efforts. This follows a solid 1999 when Kiplagat picked up 7 wins, 7 seconds and 1 third in 21 races. The 26-year old Kenyan won the Amsterdam Marathon last October in a personal best 2:25:29 and is also a two-time winner of the Los Angeles Marathon ('97, '98). Kiplagat ran The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 1997, finishing 10th in 2:39:13 while suffering from major respiratory problems. She is the Kenyan National Record Holder in both the road 8K and 10K.

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Okayo burst onto the scene with her marathon debut last year at Chicago when she ran the course's last two miles literally stride for stride with eventual winner Joyce Chempchumba to finish behind her by one second with a time of 2:26:00. The 24-year old Kenyan won the only other marathon she's attempted, a 2:27:05 in June at the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon in San Diego (CA). Okayo has placed in eight of 12 races this year and is coming off an impressive course record 1:11:22 win at the Meia Maratona Internacional do Rio Half Marathon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 21.

Anticipating a compelling battle between the trio of women Pinkowski noted "All three have had great success early in their marathon careers - and they are not really experienced marathoners. I think they've only scratched the surface of what they can do and expect them to complement each other and run faster here than in any of their previous 26.2-milers."

Pinkowski also announced that Gwynn Coogan and Scott Larson had both withdrawn from the field due to injury.

Elite athletes will be vying for a total purse of $450,000 at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in October, with $75,000, plus possible time bonuses, going to the two winners. The 2000 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon begins Sunday, October 22, 2000, at 7:30 a.m., starting and finishing in Chicago's Grant Park. For more information or to register online visit chicagomarathon.com or call 312/904-9800 or 888/243-3344 toll-free. Marathon runners will not be allowed to sign up for the event on Race Weekend, a notable change from previous years. Mail registration will close Sept. 22 -- one month before the event -- while online registration at chicagomarathon.com will remain open until Oct. 1. As a bonus, all online registrants will receive a $5 discount. After Oct. 1, no applications will be accepted.

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The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Elite List As of 8/30/00

MEN (Marathon PR)

Jeff Campbell (2:19:18)
Mark Coogan (2:13:05)
Peter De La Cerda (2:16:18)
Eddie Hellebuyck (2:11:50)
Khalid Khannouchi (2:05:42)
Joseph Kimani (2:25:32)
Josphat Kiprono (2:06:44)
Fred Kiprop (2:06:47)
Samuel Otieno (2:09:12)
Teddy Mitchell (2:20:33)
David Morris (2:09:32)
Gary Stolz (2:18:46)
Gert Thys (2:06:33)

WOMEN

Libbie Hickman (2:28:34)
Kristy Johnston (2:29:05)
Lornah Kiplagat (2:25:29) *
Catherine Ndereba (2:26:11a)*
Margaret Okayo (2:26:00)*
Ann Schaefers-Coles (2:38:25)
Linda Somers-Smith (2:30:06)

* - New additions to roster
Withdrawn due to injury - Scott Larson, Susannah Beck, Gwynn Coogan, Liz Wilson

Robin Monsky
Media Relations Director
LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon
(312) 337-3790
[email protected]

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