TORONTO, September 17th. Defending champion and course record holder, Asha Gigi of Ethiopia, is confirmed to head up the strongest women’s field to date at the 9th annual Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 28th. She’ll be joined on the start line by fellow Ethiopians Atsede Bayisa and Mulu Seboka. Together, they will face a tough Kenyan challenge from Irene Mogaka, Caroline Cheptonui and Winifredah Kwamboka. Ukrainian Olena Shurkhno is expected to round out the lead pack, which is likely to give the event its first sub-2:30 women’s finish. The 34 year old Gigi ran a solo 2:33:16 last September in Toronto for a new course record.
“This is the best, deepest women’s field we’ve had so far,” said Race Director Alan Brookes. “It’s shaping up to be the first time we’ve really had a women’s race, with a pack. Asha has been very consistent lately around 2:28/2:29, and her experience, pitted against some exciting, young talent promises a gripping contest.” For the first time, the women’s prize purse is identical to the men’s at $61,000 plus time bonuses, with money down to 8th place.
When Gigi recorded her 2:33:16 at Waterfront ’07, she did so running entirely on her own. Despite a highly injudicious start that saw her go through 10K in 33:35 and half way in 1:12:13, she hung on to hold off a charging Malgorzata Sobanska by a minute. Since then, she has run 2:28:24 for 6th in Dubai in January, then 2:29:28 for 3rd in Hamburg in April. Her career best of 2:26:05 came 4 years ago in Paris.
As the IAAF Silver Label, Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon has lowered it’s men’s finishing time from 2:17 to 2:09:30 over the past 5 years, it has gained a growing international reputation for providing talented, young up-and-comers with the opportunity to secure a fast time on the flat, Lakeshore course. This year, this is carrying over into the women’s race also. At just 21 years old, Atsede Bayisa won a hilly Istanbul Marathon last October in 2:29:05. Coached by Hussein Shibo, the the head coach of the Ethiopian Federation who coached their 5000m/10,000m athletes in Beijing, she is hoping for a major improvement. Similarly, 24 year old Mulu Seboka defended her title with a 2:30:04 PR clocking in hot, humid conditions in Mumbai in January, and is expected to improve that time in Toronto. Kenyan Irene Mogaka, 2nd to Seboka in Mumbai in 2:32:51, is just 22 years old; Kwamboka is 26, and Cheptonui 27 years. Shurkhno, coming off a PR of 2:33:37 and 2nd place at hilly Country Music Marathon in April, is a relative veteran at age 30.
Behind this lead pack, the International Team Challenge between Team Canada, Team Mexico and Team England promises a highly competitive second group of 10 women between 2:36 and 2:48, led by Mexico’s Judith Ramirez and Alicia Rodruigez, and Canada’s Nicole Stevenson. The Canadians will be battling to get at least the B standard of 2:43, to claim one of the 5 places on the Canadian team to the World Championships marathon in Berlin next August.
Complete Women's Start List
| ATHLETES: Women | | Recent Performances |
| GIGI, Asha [ETH] | 2:26:05 (2004) | F1 | 2:29:28 3rd Hamburg 27/04/08: 2:28:24 6th Dubai 18/01/08 |
| BAYISA, Atsede Tesema [ETH] | 2:29:05 (2007) | F4 | 2:29:05 1st Istanbul 28/10/07 [hilly] |
| SEBOKA, Mulu [ETH] | 2:30:03 (2008) | F5 | 2:31:45 5th Hamburg 27/04/08; 2:30:03 PR 1st Mumbai 20/01/08 |
| CHEPTONUI, Caroline [KEN] | 2:31:10 (2006) | F6 | 2:31:10 3rd Prague 16/05/06; 2:35:01 Seoul 18/03/07 |
| MOGAKA, Irene [KEN] | 2:32:51 (2008) | F7 | 2:32:51 2nd Mumbai 20/01/08 |
| GETNET, Salomie [ETH] | 2:34:02 (2008) | F8 | 2:34:02 2nd Rock 'n Roll Arizona 2008 |
| SHURKHNO, Olena [UKR] | 2:33:37 (2008) | F9 | 2:33:37 2nd Country Music 26/04/08 |
| STEVENSON, Nicole [CAN] | 2:32:56 (2004) | F10 | 2:41:04 7th Ottawa 25/05/08 |
| EVANS, Suzanne [CAN] | 2:45:38 (2007) | F11 | |
| HARVEY, Lisa [CAN] | 2:48:48 (2007) | F12 | 2:48:48 STWM07 |
| KWAMBOKA, Winifridah [KEN] | 2:36:30 (2007) | F13 | 2:37:35 4th Mumbai 20/01/08 |
| FAWKE, Kim [ENG] | 2:42:08 (2008) | F14 | 2:42:08 London 13/04/08 |
| HAZLITT, Karen [ENG] | 2:43:30 (2006) | F15 | | |
| DECKER, Helen [ENG] | 2:47:43 (2008) | F16 | 2:47:43 London 13/04/08 |
| WOODVINE, Andrea [ENG] | 2:45:49 (2008) | F17 | 2:45:49 London 13/04/08 |
| NATOLI, Karen [AUS] | 2:45:15 (2007) | F18 | 2:45:?? 17th. Rotterdam 13/04/08; 2:45:15 4th. Melbourne 7/10/07 |
| RODRUIGEZ, Alicia [MEX] | 2:36:16 (2004) | F19 | |
| RAMIREZ, Judith [MEX] | 2:36:43 (2007) | F20 | |
| ASFAW, Atelelech [ETH] | 2:42:14 2008) | F21 | 2:42:14 2nd Salt Lake City April08 |
Mulu Seboka [#23] leads women's pack at Mumbai in January, that also includes #35 Winifridah Kwamboka
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Irene Mogaka, #188
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Gigi winning last year's STWM, 2:33:16 CR
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Olena Shurkhno winning Country Music Marathon 2007
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