New York City Marathon: A Race for Two Titles

Jelena Prokopcuka, the two-time defending ING New York City Marathon champion, and Gete Wami, who has won the real,- Berlin Marathon two years in a row and tops the World Marathon Majors leaderboard (WMM), are quite aware of the competition that awaits them on November 4. At a news conference today, both women discussed their preparation for, and mindset heading into their much-anticipated match-up this Sunday. They spoke at length about the fierce competition they face from each other and the rest of the field. Prokopcuka and Wami are in contention not only for the ING New York City Marathon crown, but also for the inaugural WMM title, as this two-year series comes to a close for the first time.

Prokopcuka, 31, has achieved star status back home in Latvia, where she says, “people pay more attention to running now” after her second victory. Coming off her two wins here in New York, and a strong second-place finish at the Boston Marathon in April, she is ready to break the tape in New York yet again. “The [ING] New York City Marathon is my favorite,” she said today, adding, “it is really exciting for me to have a chance to win for the third time and win the World Marathon Majors [Series].” Prokopcuka is well aware of her second-place status in the WMM standings and the fact that there is only one race left to decide the winner of the $500,000 prize purse. With a three-peat in New York, Prokopcuka would add her name beside Grete Waitz, the only other woman able to best this race more than twice and also become 2006-2007 WMM Series victor, a title that will be presented for the first time on November 5. Challenger Wami has set her sights on the very same title. Only one woman can win.

2007 real,- Berlin Marathon champion Wami, 33, arrived from her home in Ethiopia today to prepare for her race on Sunday. Berlin was only five weeks ago, and her attempted double is unprecedented among top-level professional runners, who typically run only one or two marathons per year. Everyone is wondering what kind of shape she’s in. Heading into this second major fall marathon, Wami says, “I was happy I was able to win in Berlin. Had Berlin worn me out, I wouldn’t be here.” When asked specifically about her physical condition coming into New York, ”I am well prepared to compete in this race,” Wami says. She eased up at the 30K mark in Berlin to cruise in for a 2:23:17 win.

In a testament to the WMM Series, which was created to increase the visibility of professional marathon running worldwide, Wami noted that “yes, the fact that the WMM Series was taking place was an important factor in my decision to come here to New York.” But she maintains a respect for the physical realities: “I have to listen to my body and know what it is telling me.” Having fared well on flat, fast courses in the past, Wami is counting on her experience with this course (she placed seventh here in 2005, after giving birth to her daughter, Eva, now 4), and her training on flats, uphills, and downhills back home, to carry her to victory this year. “I know it’s tough terrain, and each athlete’s stamina will be a deciding factor,” she said.

Prokopcuka and Wami are quick to mention the other top contenders entered in Sunday’s race, especially world record-holder and ING New York City Marathon 2004 champion Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain. “[The competitive field] will make November 4 exciting for me,” said Prokopcuka. “These women, especially Paula, don’t like to run slowly.” Wami commented, “I consider myself to have grown with Paula since our track and cross country days, and I’ve appreciated our competition over the years.” Also affecting the race on Sunday, world champion Catherine Ndereba and Boston’s reigning champion, Lidiya Grigoryeva will be taking the field.

“It’s a pretty complicated matrix of who ends up where. But each runner controls her own destiny if she wins,” said ING New York City Marathon race director Mary Wittenberg. Wami leads the WMM Series with 65 points right now, and Prokopcuka is right behind her with 55. If either Wami or Prokopcuka takes the gold in New York, the champion of the five boroughs will also earn the WMM Series crown. Prokopcuka will win the title if: she is second and Wami places fourth or lower, or she is third and Wami places below the top five. In the case of a tie, the first WMM title will go to the winner in head-to-head competition, and Prokopcuka will take the coveted prize. In any other race-day situation, with Wami placing top-five, in a scoring scenario, she will take the WMM Series crown. But with two titles on the line this Sunday, only the race itself will provide definitive answers. - NYC Marathon Official Release