John Hancock Announces Return of Defending and Past Champions to 2010 Boston Marathon
February 10 2010 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
- 2009 Champions Deriba Merga and Salina Kosgei Set To Defend
Titles On April 19 - Additional Past Champions Return To Celebrate
25th Anniversary of Sponsorship BOSTON, Feb. 10
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- John Hancock Financial today announced
the return of 2009 Boston Marathon champions Deriba Merga of
Ethiopia and Salina Kosgei of Kenya for the 114th running of the
race on April 19. John Hancock has also signed past champions
Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, Dire Tune
of Ethiopia, and Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia. In the 2009 men's
race, Deriba Merga of Ethiopia clipped Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot's
three-in-a-row streak and ran away from the lead pack in the Newton
hills, unchallenged to the finish. Merga is just one of three
Ethiopians to interrupt Kenyan dominance of the event over the past
two decades. Cheruiyot, a four-time Boston winner and the 2:07:14
course record holder, is back again, fresh from a runner-up spot in
New York City. The formidable Kenyan shares the honor of at least
four Boston wins with Gerard Cote and Bill Rodgers (4 wins each)
and Clarence DeMar (7 wins). In the 2009 women's race, Salina
Kosgei was challenged every step of the way by a determined Dire
Tune who sought to defend her 2008 title. In the closest finish
ever recorded, Kosgei edged an exhausted Tune at the tape to win by
one second. The year before, Tune was on the winning end of the
finish sprint as she dueled to the wire with Russian Alevtina
Biktimirova, prevailing by two seconds. Challenging Kosgei and Tune
are former winners Lidiya Grigoryeva and Catherine Ndereba. A year
after winning the 2007 "Nor'easter" Boston Marathon, Grigoryeva
brilliantly won over a highly competitive field in Chicago. And
"Catherine the Great" needs no reintroduction to Boston as she has
written the history books here as the only woman to ever win four
times. Ndereba is the second fastest woman marathoner of all time
(2:18:47) and has earned two Olympic silver medals and two World
Marathon Championship titles. "As we celebrate the 25th anniversary
of our sponsorship, John Hancock Financial could not be more
excited with the outstanding global field of runners we will have
in Boston this year. We are thrilled to have Deriba and Salina back
to defend their titles and wish them all the best. They are certain
to be part of another great race as they will be challenged by
Robert, Catherine, Dire and Lidiya, all past champions and among
the world's best," said Jim Boyle, President of John Hancock
Financial. "In the next few months, we will round out the field,
announcing the participation of other elite runners, but this list
today gives a sense of why the world's top runners return to Boston
every spring on Patriot's Day. They want the challenge of beating
the best on one of the world's great courses to win the Boston
Marathon, inarguably one of the world's premier road races." Mr.
Boyle added that John Hancock is pleased to again fulfill its
promise to the city of Boston and surrounding communities with its
continued, steadfast support of the race. "Not only will the Boston
Marathon once again be a great event for spectators, it also
continues to be a tremendous economic benefit for Boston and the
region, generating a direct and indirect economic impact estimated
at $110 million," he said. "John Hancock Financial's effort to
bring back our defending champions whenever possible has been a
priority, leading to compelling stories and interesting match-ups,"
said Guy Morse, Executive Director of the Boston Athletic
Association. "By its commitment over the last quarter century, John
Hancock has helped maintain Boston's position among the world's
most elite marathons." About John Hancock and Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services
group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories
worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and
primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company
offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and
wealth management services through its extensive network of
employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management
by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$436.5 billion
(US$407.1 billion) as at September 30, 2009. Manulife Financial
Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under
'945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet
at http://www.manulife.com/. The John Hancock unit, through its
insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in
the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial
products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable
annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term
care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business
insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found
at http://www.johnhancock.com/. DATASOURCE: John Hancock Financial
CONTACT: Brian Carmichael, +1-617-663-4748, Web Site:
http://www.johnhancock.com/
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