September 18, 2012

By: Kristyn Gansen

Three Olympic  marathon medalists have been added to the star-studded list of 2012 ING New York City Marathon entrants.

On Tuesday, the New York Road Runners announced that women’s gold medalist Tiki Gelana and women’s bronze medalist Tatyana Arkhipova had signed up to run the race. Men’s bronze medalist Wilson Kipsang also has decided to compete in the event, according to a press release.

Gelana, of Ethiopia, will run in the New York City marathon for the first time. The 24-year-old won the 2012 Olympic Marathon in a time of 2:23.07, and her personal best, run in Rotterdam, is 2:18.58. The time lands her in the fifth spot among fastest marathon women in history. Gelana ran her personal best time in early 2012, and she holds the Ethiopian record in the event.

Arkhipova, too, will run the ING New York City Marathon for the first time. The 29-year-old Russian runner finished in a personal best time of 2:23.29 when she won bronze during the 2012 Olympic Marathon in London.

Kipsang, of Kenya, won the London Marathon in April of 2012. He returned to London in August and claimed bronze in the Olympic Marathon, finishing in a time of 2:09.37. Kipsang’s fastest marathon time came in Frankfurt in 2011, where he won the race in a time of 2:03.42.

The ING New York City Marathon is scheduled to be contested on Nov. 4, 2012.

http://www.examiner.com/article/three-olympic-medalists-enter-the-ing-new-york-city-marathon