World Marathon Majors Doubleheader Weekend Sure to Have Huge
Leaderboard Implications
Series leaders Kebede and
Shobukhova pace worldÛªs best into London and Boston
April 7, 2011ÛÓThe
2010ÛÒ2011 World Marathon Majors series resumes with a doubleheader weekend,
beginning with the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday, April 17, then jumping over
the Atlantic for the Boston Marathon the next
day.
The WMM series leaderboard is
sure to be reshuffled in the chase for the $1 million jackpot. Many of the
worldÛªs top marathoners will be looking to chase down WMM series points leaders
Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia
and Liliya Shobukhova of Russia on the streets of London. And another group
of talented athletes will be in the hunt for the title on the famed
Hopkinton-to-Boston course.
In London, Kebede and Shobukhova lead one of the
most talented packs of athletes ever seen on a starting line. Kebede, with 40
points, brings a 10-point lead into London. A win would push him at least 15 points
ahead of anyone who could potentially reach second place in the series
standings. He will have his work cut out for him, however, as Kenyans Emmanuel
Mutai (30 points) and Patrick Makau (25 points) will toe the line with him.
Unfortunately, a leg injury has sidelined the 2008 Olympic champion and reigning
WMM series champion, KenyaÛªs Samuel Wanjiru.
Shobukhova is the early favorite to retain her WMM
series title. She comes into London with 50
points, after 2010 wins in London and at the Bank of America Chicago
Marathon. Another London win would give her an almost
insurmountable lead heading into the fall marathon season. EthiopiaÛªs Aberu Kebede (25 points), ING New York
City Marathon 2010 champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya
(25 points), and fellow Russian Inga Abitova (20 points) will try to keep
Shobukhova from running away with the WMM crown.
In Boston, KenyaÛªs Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (25 points) and
ING New York City Marathon 2010 winner Gebre Gebremariam (25 points) of
Ethiopia could climb the ladder with
strong finishes on PatriotsÛª Day. American favorite Ryan Hall could also work
his way into the picture with a podium finish.
In the womenÛªs race, returning
champion Teyba Erkesso (25 points) of
Ethiopia could stay in contention
with another win. She can expect challenges from last yearÛªs runner-up Tatyana
Pushkareva (15 points) of Russia, and American star Kara
Goucher, who is returning to WMM action after the birth of her first child last
fall.
2010-2011 WMM
Leaderboards
Men
Place
Name
Country
Points Spring Ûª11 marathon
1
Tsegaye
Kebede
ETH
40 London
2
Emmanuel
Mutai
KEN
30 London
3
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot
KEN
25 Boston
3
Gebre
Gebremariam
ETH
25 Boston
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3
Patrick
Makau
KEN
25
London
3
Samuel
Wanjiru
KEN
25
London
7
Tekeste
Kebede
ETH
15
Boston
7
Geoffrey
Mutai
KEN
15
Boston
Women
Place
Name
Country
Points Spring Ûª11
marathon
1
Liliya
Shobukhova
RUS
50 London
2
Teyba
Erkesso
ETH
25 Boston
2
Aberu
Kebede
ETH
25 London
2
Edna
Kiplagat
KEN
25 London
5
Inga
Abitova
RUS
20 London
5
Bezunesh
Bekele
ETH
20
London
7
Atsede
Baysa
ETH
15 Idle
7
Shalane
Flanagan
USA
15 Idle
7
Tatyana
Pushkareva
RUS
15 Boston
World Marathon Majors Scoring
1st: 25
points 2nd: 15
points
3rd: 10
points
4th: 5 points 5th: 1 point
Complete WMM Series leaderboards
are posted at www.worldmarathonmajors.com.