The Vancouver Sun Run, April 19, 2009
Vancouver (April 17, 2009) -- Who will be the first to cross the finish line and make Sun Run history as the winner of the 25th anniversary race? Elite runners competing Sunday will give it their all as they lead the huge field of registrants entered in Sunda's big run. Here are some of the runners to watch who are expected to compete in the 2009 Sun Run Elite Division.
Kiprotich Yegon (Kenya), Dylan Wykes (Kingston, ON) and Richard Mosley (Coquitlam, BC) will be three of the top contenders going for the Sun Run Men's title.
Yegon, new to Sun Run competition, had a time of 29:25 in the 2009 Crescent City Classic 10K held last weekend. Wykes was 2nd clocking 29:23 in the 2007 Sun Run (1st Canadian) and placed 1st with 29.49.5 in the 2007 Canadian 10K Championship in Ottawa and is back for the 2009 Sun Run after competing in his debut marathon at the April 2008 Rotterdam Marathon in Netherlands with a time of 2:15:15. Mosley competed in the Stanford Invitational 10,000m in California this March and finished with a time of 29:37 as well as placed 4th with a time of 29:33 in the 2008 Canadian 10K Championship.
It's expected to be a close competition and a tight race to the finish for those competing for the 2009 Sun Run Women's title. Some to watch are Abebu Gelan, a 19 year old from Ethiopia, Lisa Harvey (Calgary, AB), Cheryl Murphy (Victoria, BC), Lucy Smith (Victoria, BC) and Fiona Docherty (New Zealand).
Gelan holds the record for the World Junior Half Marathon with a time of 1:07:57 and just last weekend finished 3rd in the Crescent City Classic 10K with a time of 32.39. Harvey, an Olympian and former 10,000 metre champion, placed 2nd (1st Canadian) in the 2008 Sun Run with a time of 33:58 and Murphy placed fourth in last year's Sun Run running 34:14. Smith ran 33:51 in the 2007 Sun Run placing fourth and qualifies for Masters in the 2009 event. Docherty comes to Canada having completed the 2009 Austin Half Marathon in Texas with a time of 1:15:56.
The Vancouver Sun Run is presented by HSBC Bank Canada. The race kicks off at 9 a.m. in downtown Vancouver. Athletes will compete for a prize purse of $21,000 with awards going to the top three male and female overall finishers, top five Canadian male and female finishers, and the top three overall masters male and female. Wheelchair athletes compete for a total prize purse of $2,000. For more information visit SunRun.com or call 604-689-9441.
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