Talented field features rematch of top three men’s finishers from 2011 Boston Marathon; $ 30,000 prize purse

BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association has released its field of top athletes for the inaugural B.A.A. 10K on Sunday, June 26. Highlighting the men’s professional field is 2011 Boston Marathon champion Geoffrey Mutai, of Kenya. At the 115th Boston Marathon on April 18, the 29-year old Mutai ran the world’s fastest marathon in 2 hours, 3 minutes, 2 seconds. His performance was 57 seconds faster than the world record time of 2:03:59 set by Haile Gebrselassie at the 2008 Berlin Marathon.

Also returning to Boston will be Moses Mosop of Kenya and Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia, the runner-up and third place finishers at Boston this year. Mosop is coming off a 25,000 meter and 30,000 meter world record performance on the track earlier this month, and has a personal best in the 10K of 28:04. Gebremariam brings his road racing expertise back to Boston, trying to better his own personal best of 27:41, set last year. Also in the men’s field are Kenyans Simon Ndirangu (27:49) and Samuel Ndereba (28:01), as well as 2009 B.A.A. Half Marathon winner Martin Fagan of Ireland.

The women’s field is led by 2011 Boston Marathon champion Caroline Kilel. The 30-year-old Kenyan returns to run her first race since winning the olive wreath in April. Joining her will be New Zealand’s Kim Smith, a 2008 Olympian and national record holder at 5K. Smith, whose personal best at 10K is 31:23, led the first 18 miles of the 115th Boston Marathon before a torn muscle forced her to drop out. Now healthy and recovered, the Providence College graduate is coming off of a sixth place finish in the New York Mini 10K, in which she ran 32:32.

Australian national record holder and three-time Olympian Benita Willis has the fastest personal best in the field at 31:17. Gebremariam’s wife, Werknesh Kidane, who was the 2003 World Cross Country Champion at 8K is also entered in the race.

"The elite field in the inaugural B.A.A. 10K is filled with accomplished athletes, many of whom have notched their fastest times here in Boston at B.A.A. events," said B.A.A. Executive Director Tom Grilk. "Though we’ve seen many of these runners compete before, we’re anxious to see them compete in this distance, and how they’ll do on this course while in direct competition with each other. There should be no shortage of excitement and fast times in our inaugural event."

The B.A.A. 10K includes a prize purse of $ 30,000 with $ 5000 awarded to the winners and equally distributed among the top male and female finishers. Race registration remains open at: baa.org

The 6.2 mile course is a scenic tour through Boston’s Back Bay. Notable neighborhoods and attractions include the legendary Bull and Finch Pub, after which the television show "Cheers" was developed, the campus of Boston University and trendy Kenmore Square.

Inaugural B.A.A. 10K Professional Field
Sunday, June 26, 2011

MEN
Bib# / Name / CTZ / Personal Best
1 Geoffrey Mutai (KEN), 27:39 (2009)
2 Moses Mosop (KEN), 28:04 (2004)
3 Gebre Gebremariam (ETH), 27:41 (2010)
4 Simon Ndirangu (KEN), 27:49 (2010)
5 Samuel Ndereba (KEN), 28:01 (2007)
6 Martin Fagan (IRL), 28:39 (2011)
7 Shawn Forrest (AUS), 28:17 (2010)
8 Elkanah Kibet (KEN), 28:57 (2009)
9 Joseph Chirlee (KEN), 29:23 (2007)
10 Matthew Levassiur (USA / CO), 29:33 (2006)
11 Nate Jenkins (USA / MA), 29:33 (2010)

WOMEN
Bib# / Name / CTZ / Personal Best
31 Caroline Kilel (KEN), 31:36 (2009)
32 Kim Smith (NZL), 31:23 (2010)
34 Misiker Demissie (ETH), 31:40 (2010)
35 Benita Willis (AUS), 31:17 (2006)
36 Stephanie Reilly (IRL), 16:23 (5K – 2011)
38 Trina Painter (USA / AZ), 35:24 (2007)
39 Werknesh Kidane (ETH), 31:18 (2010)