Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir to run 2014 Ottawa Marathon
January 8, 2014 – OTTAWA – Wesley Korir, winner of the 2012 Boston Marathon, two-time winner of the Los Angeles Marathon, and elected member of Kenyan Parliament, has announced plans to run the Ottawa Marathon on May 25, 2014.
The confirmation of Korir, one of the biggest names and most compelling figures in the sport of distance running, is an early sign that Ottawa race organizers are assembling the strongest-ever elite field for the race’s 40th anniversary in May.
“Every year we strive to attract the best field possible,” said Manny Rodrigues, Elite Athlete Coordinator. “That Boston Marathon champions are choosing to run here shows how great this race is and that we have built a top-notch elite athlete program. We’re thrilled to welcome Wesley to the Ottawa Marathon this year.”
Korir, who is married to Canadian runner Tarah McKay-Korir, said that a Canadian race has been on his radar for some time. “Canada has been my training base and my second home for the last couple of years. Having this opportunity to compete on Canadian soil is what I have been longing for. My goal in Ottawa is to win.”
After a successful track career at the University of Louisville, Korir burst to marathon prominence by placing 4th in the 2008 Chicago marathon despite not being entered as an elite runner. After winning back-to-back victories at the Los Angeles Marathon, he established himself among the names of the sport with a dramatic win in the heat at the 2012 Boston Marathon. He followed that with a personal best of 2:06:13 at the 2012 Chicago Marathon.
Outside of the sport, Korir has also made headlines, running successfully for Kenyan Parliament and co-founding the Kenyan Kids Foundation, an organization that focuses on improving education and healthcare in the runner’s native country.
Korir has run Ottawa once before, finishing second in the Ottawa 10K to course record-holder Deriba Merga. Both the Ottawa 10K and Ottawa Marathon are IAAF Silver Label events. The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is the only running event in the world to boast two IAAF Silver Label events.
The 2014 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend will take place May 24-25. The running of the 40th Ottawa Marathon will take place Sunday, May 25.
About the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend
The 2013 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend welcomed close to 44,000 participants in six races, including the Marathon, the Half-Marathon, the 10K, HTG Sports 5K, 2K and Kids Marathon. The Ottawa Marathon and Ottawa 10K are both designated Silver Label IAAF events by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF). Run Ottawa, the organization behind the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, is dedicated to promoting the sport of running and enhancing the health and well-being of our community by organizing distinctive world-class and local races, and managing an active, membership-based running club.
For information or to coordinate an interview:
Annie Boucher
Relations avec les médias | Media relations
Fin de semaine des courses Tamarack d’Ottawa | Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend
613-863-3702 (SMS and voice)
boucher@fusecommunications.ca
www.runottawa.ca
@aboucherfuse | @ottawamarathon | #TORW2014