Olympian Jo Pavey Looks to Extend British Winning Streak to Three Consecutive Years at NYC Half
Pavey hopes to follow Radcliffe (2009) and Yamauchi (2010) as a winner of the 13.1 mile race through Manhattan streets
New York, February 17, 2011ÛÓThree-time
Olympian Jo
Pavey looks to extend a British winning streak to three consecutive
years at the NYC Half on Sunday, March 20, when she makes her first
career start in the United States, it was announced
today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.
Paula
Radcliffe started the streak in 2009 with a winning time of 1 hour, 9
minutes, and 45 seconds. Mara Yamauchi continued it last year with a
course-record 1:09:25. Radcliffe has not
raced yet this year after the birth of her second child last fall, and
Yamauchi is currently injured.
ÛÏThe
tradition of British women at the NYC Half has been so strong,Û said
Wittenberg. ÛÏJo has an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Paula
and Mara, and we are very pleased that
sheÛªll join us in March.Û
Pavey,
37, one of the top female British track and field athletes of all time,
has transitioned to the road racing scene in recent years. She is the
national indoor record-holder at 3000
meters (8:31.50) and two miles (9:32.00), and she is the countryÛªs
second-fastest performer at 5000 meters (14:39.96), behind Radcliffe.
Her half-marathon personal best of 1:08:53 makes her fourth all-time
among British women behind Radcliffe, Liz McColgan,
and Yamauchi.
ÛÏIÛªm
really excited about the prospect of racing in New York City,Û said
Pavey. ÛÏIÛªm returning from a four-month period of injury and illness, so
now that training has gone well, IÛªm really
keen to get out and race again. ItÛªs a great lineup and will provide me
with a fantastic opportunity to be in a really competitive race.Û
Pavey
had her first child in 2009, and after returning to competition in
2010, she was sidelined with a toe injury. She will use the NYC Half as a
tune-up for her marathon debut at London
in April.
The
NYC Half-Marathon, which has a $100,000 prize purse (the largest for
any United States half-marathon), has previously announced a strong
lineup of USA competitors: Kara Goucher, Ryan
Hall, Meb Keflezighi, Abdi Abdirahman, Patrick Smyth, and Serena Burla.
On
a course designed to celebrate New York City, the NYC Half-Marathon
will take more than 9,000 runners on a loop through Central Park, down
Seventh Avenue through Times Square, across
42nd Street, and along the expansive West Side Highway to Battery Park
in the heart of the cityÛªs financial district, finishing with a view of
the Statue of Liberty.
New York Road Runners
Headquartered
in New York City, New York Road Runners is dedicated to advancing the
sport of running, enhancing health and fitness for all, and meeting our
communityÛªs needs. Our goal
is to use the expertise acquired in our 52-year history to empower all
people to live fitter, healthier lives through participation in our
races, community events, instruction and training resources, and youth
programs. Our races and other events draw more
than 300,000 people each year. The ING New York City Marathon, NYRRÛªs
premier event, is the largest and most inclusive marathon in the world,
attracting the worldÛªs top professional runners every year and raising
$30.8 million for charity in 2010. NYRRÛªs running-based
youth programs, which currently serve more than 100,000 children in
hundreds of schools and community centers, promote childrenÛªs health and
fitness, character development, and personal achievement in underserved
communities. For more information, visit
www.nyrr.org.