Wanjiru, Shobukhova Win 2010 World Marathon Majors, release, note by Larry Eder

The 2009-2010 World Marathon Majors luncheon is held on the Monday after the ING NYCM Marathon. It is highlighted by one of the most superb film shorts on both the series and the WMM winners. This year, it was Sammy Wanjiru, who had won 2009 Virgin London, 2009 Bank of American Chicago and then his stunning win at the Bank of America 2010 Chicago Marathon, after dueling Tsegaye Kebede for 26.2 miles.!  Liliya Shobukhova had won 2009 Bank of America Chicago, then 2010 Virgin London and 2010 Bank of America Chicago. Shobukhova, the former 5,000 meter European champion, used her tremendous speed and ran a come from behind win in Chicago this year that also set a new Russian record.

Sammy Wanjiru’s story is one of redemption-a rough 2010 year, with a huge comeback at Chicago. Liliya’s is a look into the marathon’s future for 2012: the Olympic marathon will surely be a dynamic race in London.

A special thanks to MarathonFoto for sponsoring the WMM luncheons, which give media and sponsors a chance to celebrate the very best of our sport.

  Wanjiru, Shobukhova Crowned Champions of 2009-2010 World Marathon Majors Series

NEW
YORK CITY, November 8, 2010 – Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya and Liliya
Shobukhova of Russia have been crowned champions of the 2009-2010 World
Marathon Majors series, and both were presented $500,000 USD for their
respective accomplishments at an awards banquet today in New York City.
Wanjiru accumulated 75 points over
the two-year series with a win at the 2009 Virgin London Marathon and
back-to-back victories at the 2009 and 2010 Bank of America Chicago
Marathons. Wanjiru also won the 2008-2009 WMM series. Shobukhova tallied
85 points over the past two years with a pair of victories at the 2009
and 2010 Chicago Marathons, a victory at the 2010 London Marathon and a
third-place finish at the same event in 2009.

Wanjiru secured the 2009-2010 WMM series win with a
thrilling victory over Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede at the Chicago Marathon
on October 10.

“Last year I promised I would be back here to defend
my World Marathon Majors title and I’m proud to have fulfilled that
promise,” said Wanjiru. “Being the Olympic Marathon champion is a dream
for everyone, but to win the World Marathon Majors series means that you
have to be strong and consistent over two years and I’m happy to have
achieved this honor twice.”

Shobukhova has scored WMM points in all four of her
career marathons, including victories in her last three. She unseated
Germany’s Irina Mikitenko, victor of the last two WMM series.

“I want to thank the race directors and event
organizers for the opportunity to compete in the World Marathon Majors,”
said Shobukhova. “It is a great idea and serves not as pressure, but as
a source of motivation for athletes to compete at their best at the
world’s best races. After I won the 2009 Chicago Marathon I knew I had
an opportunity to win the series title, and I’m proud to have achieved
this goal and I hope to be back next year.”

Note: High resolution images of the champions are available upon request via media contacts below.

In the series, which was established in 2006, the
world’s top runners score points for top five finishes in the five
events that comprise the World Marathon Majors: Virgin London Marathon,
B.A.A. Boston Marathon, real,- Berlin Marathon, Bank of America Chicago
Marathon and ING New York City Marathon. Athletes also earn World
Marathon Major points at the Olympic Games every four years and IAAF
World Championships every other year.

WMM series points are awarded as follows: 25 points
for first place, 15 points for second place, 10 points for third place,
five points for fourth place and one point for fifth place.

World Marathon Majors series winners are as follows:

WMM Series     Men                                                    Women
2009-2010          Sammy Wanjiru, Kenya                        Liliya Shobukhova, Russia

2008-2009          Sammy Wanjiru, Kenya                        Irina Mikitenko, Germany
2007-2008          Martin Lel, Kenya                                 Irina Mikitenko, Germany

2006-2007          Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Kenya        Gete Wami, Ethiopia

Final 2009-2010 WMM Series Top 5 Men
Place       Name                    Country      Point Total
1             Sammy Wanjiru      Kenya        75
2             Tesgaye Kebede     Ethiopia     65

3             Emmanuel Mutai     Kenya       50
4             Deriba Merga          Ethiopia     35
5             Jaouad Gharib         Morocco    30

Final 2009-2010 WMM Series Top 5 Women

Place      Name                      Country      Point Total
1             Liliya Shobukhova    Russia       85
2             Irina Mikitenko         Germany    41

3             Salina Kosgei          Kenya        36
4             Teyba Erkesso        Ethiopia      30
5             Xue Bai                   China         25

5             Bezunesh Bekele     Ethiopia     25
5             Atsede Habtamu      Ethiopia     25
5             Aberu Kebede          Ethiopia     25

5             Edna Kiplagat          Kenya        25 
5             Derartu Tulu             Ethiopia     25

www.worldmarathonmajors.com

Media Contacts:
Boston: Jack Fleming +1 617.236.1652 ext. 2627
London: Nicola Okey + 44 207.902.0182
Berlin: Thomas Steffens + 49 171.933.4836
Chicago: Jeremy Borling +1 312.992.6614

New York: Richard Finn +1 212.423.2229