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World's Fastest Wheelchair Athletes to Face Off at the ING New York City Marathon 2009

Reigning ING New York City Marathon wheelchair division champions Kurt Fearnley and Edith Hunkeler to compete

New York, October 13, 2009 -- The world's best wheelchair athletes, including six former ING New York City Marathon champions, will compete in the ING New York City Marathon 2009 on Sunday, November 1, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO and race director Mary Wittenberg.

The athletes are three-time defending champion Kurt Fearnley of Australia, four-time defending title-holder Edith Hunkeler of Switzerland, and past champions Krige Schabort of South Africa, Saul Mendoza of Mexico, Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa, and Amanda McGrory of Kennett Square, PA.

"Our wheelchair field gets deeper and more competitive each year, and this year is no exception," said Bob Laufer, the marathon’s wheelchair race coordinator. "Just about every top racer in the world is here, on both the men's and women's sides. It should be quite a show."

The ING New York City Marathon first featured an official wheelchair race in 2000, and added prize money in 2001. A total guaranteed wheelchair division prize purse of $65,000 will be awarded, the largest in race history. The men's and women's champions will each receive $12,000.

Fearnley, 28, set the course record in 2006, when he pushed to a 1:29:22. He won the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 11 in 1:29:09 and has also won marathon titles in London and Paris this year. Fearnley will be seeking his fourth consecutive marathon victory in New York.

"New York is the biggest race of the year for me," said Fearnley. "It's a very challenging course. Everyone who could possibly win the race will be there this year. So, I am particularly looking forward to racing in New York."

In the women's field, all eyes will be on Switzerland's Edith Hunkeler, 37, the four-time champion (2004, '05, '07, '08) and event record-holder (1:52:38). Last year Hunkeler won in 2:06:42 -- her slowest time in New York, due to fierce winds. The victory came just six weeks after her triumph at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic marathon, where she pushed to a 1:39:59.

"I purposely did not race too much this year in the U.S., in order to achieve two goals -- winning the Peachtree 10K in Atlanta on July 4, which I did, and defending my title in the ING New York City Marathon on November 1, which I hope to do," said Hunkeler. "New York is the toughest competition of the year. I love a challenge and I am ready for the race."

The 2002 and 2003 winner, Krige Schabort, 46, of South Africa, will return, having claimed victory earlier this year at Walt Disney World. The 2001 and 2004 winner, Saul Mendoza, 42, of Mexico, and the 2005 winner, Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa, who won the Boston Marathon earlier this year, are also entered. The 2006 champion, Amanda McGrory, 23, who won the silver medal in Beijing in 2008, has pushed her way to the top in 2009 with victories in London and at Grandma's Marathon.

Another notable entrant is Switzerland’s Sandra Graf, 40, who was second in London this year and recently won in Berlin. Graf is the current leader in the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) 2009 World Marathon rankings. Christie Dawes, 29, of Australia, who outraced Shelly Woods of Great Britain for third in last year's event, is also entered. Masazumi Soejima, 39, of Japan who was last year's runner-up and claimed victory in Boston in 2008, will compete, as will David Weir, 30, of Great Britain, a four-time London Marathon champion (2005--2008) and currently the leader in the IPC 2009 World Marathon rankings.

The race will also feature the return of several legendary masters. Mexico's Aaron Gordian, 45, was third in New York in 2008; he returns with a 2009 victory at the City of Los Angeles marathon under his belt. Switzerland’s Heinz Frei -- who scored victories in Oita last year and Berlin this year -- makes his second appearance in New York; he placed fourth in 2008 at age 50.

New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners, founded in 1958, is dedicated to promoting the sport of distance running, enhancing health and fitness for all, and responding to community needs. Our road races and other fitness programs draw upwards of 300,000 runners annually, and together with our magazine and website support and promote professional and recreational running. A staff of more than 100, assisted by thousands of volunteers, stages the ING New York City Marathon, as well as a road race nearly every weekend plus many track and cross country events. NYRR's home base in New York, and its lifelong identification with Central Park, have given many of its events iconic status, attracting the world's top professional runners. Our youth programs provide running to nearly 100,000 schoolchildren in New York City, around the country, and in South Africa who would otherwise have few or no fitness opportunities. For more information visit www.nyrr.org.

The ING New York City Marathon
The premier event of New York Road Runners, the ING New York City Marathon is one of the world's great road races, drawing nearly 105,000 applicants. The race attracts many world-class professional athletes, not only for the more than $600,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and a worldwide broadcast reach of 330 million. As any one of the nearly 788,000 past participants will attest, crossing the finish line in Central Park is one of the great thrills of a lifetime. For more information visit www.ingnycmarathon.org.

World Marathon Majors
The ING New York City Marathon is one of five events in the World Marathon Majors series that showcases the sport's top athletes and awards an unprecedented $1 million champion's prize. The WMM series also includes the Boston Marathon, the Virgin London Marathon, the real,- Berlin Marathon, and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. For more information visit www.worldmarathonmajors.com.