09/20/2008
By David Monti
(c) 2008 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - used with permission
Official Site
RunnerSpace Site
Returning
to the race where he began his marathon career, Dan Browne will try to
win his second USA marathon title at the 27th Medtronic Twin Cities
Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 5. It was at this race in 2002 where Browne
ran his first --and still fastest-- marathon in 2:11:35, winning both
the U.S. and overall race titles.
His key challengers in
Minneapolis this year include Justin Young (2:13:54), Fernando Cabada
(2:12:27), Matt Downin (2:14:35) and Fasil Bizuneh (2:16:47).
Organizers reported that six of the top-25 finishers at last November's
Olympic Trials marathon in New York are in the field.
The
women's race is an international competition this year, and the top
entrant is Russia's Silvia Skvortsova (2:27:07 PB). However, American
Mary Akor could also win the race (2:33:50 PB), and become the first
woman to win both of Minnesota's primary marathons, Grandma's and Twin
Cities, in the same year. Russian Olga Glok is also in the field
(2:30:40 PB), and could contend for the win.
Twin Cities has a
very strong tradition of supporting masters running, and for the the
18th consecutive year the race will host the U.S. men's and women's
masters marathon championships. The top entrant is the evergreen Susan
Loken, 45, the three-time defending women's champion (2:41:31).
The
race offers a prize money purse of $302,000, with a number of prize
money categories. The winners of both the U.S. Men's Championship and
the overall women's titles will receive $25,000. However, the overall
men's winner also earns $3,000, so should an American man win the race
he would receive $28,000. The race also has a special development fund
for under-30 U.S. athletes.
A press release listing the entire elite field as at this link: http://tinyurl.com/47ofdz
ENDS
