Posted: February 24, 2005

Athletics: 2004 Winner Of “The Challenge” Returns For L.A. Marathon 20th Anniversary Race

Impressive Field of Elite Athletes Compete for $75,000 Bonus - Newcomer from Australia Expected to Upset Wheelchair Division Record

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 24, 2005) — With hopes for an unprecedented three-peat in the women’s division, as well as a defense of “The Challenge” title she added in 2004, Ukraine’s Tatyana Pozdnyakova returns to the streets of Los Angeles on March 6th to celebrate her 50th birthday (March 4) in the event’s 20th anniversary running. But who will win this year’s prize purse of $301,800, including a bonus of $75,000 for the “The Challenge” is anyone’s guess considering the star-studded lineup of Elites arriving from all over the world.

Last year, just three days after celebrating her 49th birthday, Pozdnyakova crossed the finish line a full 3 minutes 54 seconds ahead of male champion David Kirui of Kenya, making her first in her field of Elite women and the winner of “The Challenge,” a race-within-a-race that allowed men and women to compete against each other on a level playing field for the first time in L.A. Marathon history. Her overall time was 2:30:17.

“The Challenge” allowed the Elite Women to start the race 20 minutes and 30 seconds ahead of the Elite Men and the rest of the field (the average difference between the winning men’s and women’s times over the first 18 years of the L.A. Marathon) in a unique handicap format that rewarded the first person, man or woman, to cross the finish line. For winning “The Challenge,” Pozdnyakova collected an additional cash prize of $50,000. This year, in addition to winning “The Challenge,” Pozdnyakova, who will turn 50 on March 4th, hopes to set a new world record in the 50-54 year-old age group. Australian Bev Lucas set the current age group record of 2:44:12 in 1997. If Pozdnyakova is able to pull off a three-peat, it will be the first time in L.A. Marathon history. In addition to her back-to-back wins in 2003 and 2004, the only others who have won back-to-back women’s titles in the L.A. Marathon are American Nancy Ditz (1986 and 1987) and Kenya’s Lornah Kiplagat (1997 and 1998).

Here to put the heat on Pozdnyakova in 2005 is a field of Elite Men and Women from around the world. Each has an equal chance of upsetting the champion as the drama of “The Challenge” unfolds.

The men’s marathon will see the return of Kenyans Simon Wangai (2nd in 2004 - 2:13:57) and Matthew Birir (3rd - 2:14:25). Joining Wangai and Birir in the quest to win “The Challenge” are fellow countrymen Laban Kipkemboi (3rd - 2002 New York City Marathon, 2:08:39) and Benjamin Maiyo (1st - 2004 Albertson’s Bay to Breakers 12k, 34:50) who will be making his Marathon debut.

Benson Mbithi of Kenya, who won the race in 2000 and placed third in 2002 and 2003, returns to L.A. with plans to dominate the Elite field once again.

The top four (and five of the top ten) Elite Women from 2004 will set out to pass Pozdnyakova on race day. Returning this year are Tatiana Titova (2nd – 2:33:39), Zivile Balciunaite (3rd – 2:34:41), Anna Pichrtova (4th – 2:35:12), and Beatrice Omwanza (8th – 2:41:51). However, the main challenge may come from 2002 L.A. Marathon women’s champion Lyubov Denisova of Russia (2:28:49), who is making her first return to L.A. since her breakthrough win in 2002. Last November, Denisova finished 3rd at the ING New York City Marathon in a speedy 2:25:18.

Five past L.A. Marathon winners will also be participating in the 2005 Marathon. In addition to Pozdnyakova and Denisova, the 20th anniversary race will see the return of Simon Bor, who still holds the L.A. Marathon course record of 2:09:25, set in 1999. The Marathon will also feature Men’s winners Mark Plaatjes (1991) and Benson Mbithi (2000).

Kerryn McCann of Australia is another predicted threat to Pozdnyakova’s reigning title. McCann placed 10th in the ING New York City Marathon in 2004 (2:32:06) and third in the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 2001 (2:26:04). Her personal record of 2:25:59 was set at the London Marathon in 2000. The 20th anniversary race will be McCann’s first Los Angeles Marathon.

In 2005, three runners from Ethiopia will also join the Elite field. Haji Adilo and Kasim Adilo will compete on the men’s side, and Dire Tune will make her Marathon debut on the women’s side.

Wheelchair Division Upset Possible

In the Men’s Wheelchair Division, newcomer Kurt Fearnley from Australia will be gunning to complete the course in under 1:27:07, the record held by six-time L.A. Marathon winner Saul Mendoza of Mexico, to become the new champion in his field. In addition to Fearnley and Mendoza, the field will also feature Kenny Herriott (14th in the 2004 L.A. Marathon), Jun Hiromichi (2004 Honolulu Marathon, 1:35:28, 2nd) and South African Krige Schabort, who has participated in the L.A. Marathon for the past four years.

The favorite in the women’s wheelchair division is two-time defending champion Cheri Blauwet, who also won the ING New York City and BAA Boston Marathons in 2004 and won three medals in the Paralympic Games in Athens. Blauwet will be challenged by Miriam Nibley (2nd - 2004 ING New York City Marathon, 2:04:48), Eliza Stankovic (2004 Olympic Games – 2nd in 800 meters), and 2001 and 2002 L.A. Marathon winner Ariadne Hernandez (Mexico).

This year's Los Angeles Marathon will be broadcast via the World Wide Web for the first time courtesy of NBC4 in Los Angeles. The Webcast will enable a global audience to experience NBC4's live broadcast of the marathon in real-time by logging onto NBC4.TV or by linking through lamarathon.com. The Webcast simulcast and NBC4’s live broadcast will take place on Sunday, March 6 from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. A Marathon wrap-up show will air on NBC4 Sunday from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Telemundo 52’s live broadcast in Spanish will air Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The Los Angeles Marathon is the largest marathon in the state, fourth largest in the country and seventh largest in the world. It is expected to draw more than 25,000 runners on March 6. Runners from all 50 states and 80 countries and expected to participate in the 20th anniversary event. Historically, 80 percent of all participants have hailed California as their home making the race one of the city’s most highly participated and defining events.

The L.A. Marathon presented by Honda takes place Sunday, March 6, 2005. In addition to American Honda Motor Co., Inc., marathon sponsors include American Airlines, City of Angels Medical Center, NBC4, Telemundo 52, Saucony, Sparkletts and Emerald Nuts. To date, more than 350,000 runners and walkers have participated in the L.A. Marathon. For more information or to register for L.A. Marathon XX visit www.lamarathon.com or call (310) 444-5544.