PEACHTREE LEADS BIG USA ROAD RACE SCHEDULE FOR JULY 4TH
By David Monti
(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - Used with permission.

(03-Jul) -- Tomorrow's Independence Day holiday in the United States will feature literally hundreds of road races, but none more important than the 44th Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Ga.  The massive 10-K, which recorded 57,754 finishers last year, is hosting both the USA 10-K road running championships and the Professional Road Racing Organization (PRRO) 2012/2013 season finale at the same time.

"Hosting the USA Men's and Women's 10-K Championships makes the AJC Peachtree Road Race even more exciting this year by attracting some of the top distance talent in the country," said outgoing Atlanta Track Club executive director Tracey Russell through a statement. "With more than 80 professional athletes from around the world competing, this will be the largest field in recent history, and we expect some outstanding performances from both the men and the women."

The international women's field is led by Ethiopians Mamitu Daska and Buzunesh Deba, each of whom can earn a $25,000 payday from the race for a victory ($15,000 for the win plus a $10,000 PRRO circuit bonus).  That's because each has won a 2012/2013 PRRO season event (Daska won the 2012 Utica Boilermaker 15-K last July in Upstate New York, and Deba won last May's Lilac Bloomsday Run 12-K in Spokane, Wash.).  Daska is in very good form, with two consecutive 10-K victories (both in personal best times) last month at the Oakley New York Mini 10-K in New York City (31:47) and the B.A.A. 10-K in Boston (31:44).

At the head of the international men's field is defending champion Peter Kirui of Kenya and his compatriot Sammy Kitwara.  Kitwara, along with Ethiopia's Belete Assefa, are also eligible for the PRRO bonus because they won the 2013 World's Best 10-K and Lilac Bloomsday 12-K, respectively.  Both events are part of the PRRO circuit.

In the USA Championships division, Olympian Janet Bawcom is the leading entrant on the women's side.  Bawcom has already won two USA road running titles this year --at 15-K in March in Florida and at 10 Miles in April in Washington, D.C.  Her key rivals will be newly-crowned national half-marathon champion Adriana Nelson, the top American at the NYC Half last March Stephanie Rothstein Bruce, and the top American at Oakley New York Mini 10-K last month Mattie Suver.

The men's USA Championships is particularly deep and will see a re-match of Mo Trafeh and Meb Keflezighi who finished 1-2 at the USA Half-Marathon Championships in Duluth nearly two weeks ago.  Also hoping to contend will be the fastest-ever American marathoner Ryan Hall, former University of Arkansas star Josphat Boit, former Oregon Duck Shadrack Biwott, four-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, and five-time national champion Matt Tegenkamp.

Unfortunately, rain is likely for the event. According to the website Weather.com, there is between a 90% and 100% chance of rain tomorrow morning in Atlanta.  However, temperatures will be moderate by the standards of the American South at this time of year, only in the low 70's (22C).


RESOURCE: The attached sheets contain the full open athlete listings (excluding masters athletes) for the race including short biographies prepared by the Atlanta Track Club.


PHOTO: Mamitu Daska celebrates after winning the 2013 Oakley New York Mini 10-K (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)


ENDS