Olympic Gold Medalist Constantina Dita Highlights Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon - Professional Field Announced for 10th Annual Virginia Beach Labor Day Road Race
Joining the ranks of Olympic medallists who have competed in Virginia Beach will be Beijing Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist Constantina Dita of Romania. Along with her crowning Olympic triumph in 2008, Dita won the 2005 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championship held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and also the 2004 Chicago Marathon. Her personal record (PR) for the half-marathon is 1:08:07, set in Chicago in 2006. ©Victah Sailer
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Virginia Beach, VA - September 1, 2010 - The event that helped turn its city around while starting the half-marathon boom will welcome more than 20,000 runners to the oceanfront streets of Virginia Beach for the 10th Annual Dodge Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon presented by SunTrust on Sunday, September 5, 2010.
Joining the ranks of Olympic medallists who have competed in Virginia Beach will be Beijing Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist Constantina Dita of Romania. Along with her crowning Olympic triumph in 2008, Dita won the 2005 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championship held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and also the 2004 Chicago Marathon. Her personal record (PR) for the half-marathon is 1:08:07, set in Chicago in 2006.
"Many other athletes have told me often that the Virginia Beach race is one of their favorite events of the year, and I am looking forward to my first opportunity to compete there,” said Dita, known as an aggressive front-runner when in form. “It should be even more special this year, with the race's 10th anniversary. It seems every year there is a very deep field of the top runners, so I expect the competition should be great in 2010."
Chief among her rivals will be fellow Romanian Nuta Olaru, the 2004 Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach champion, and 2009 Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon champ. Leading the U.S. contingent in the women’s race is 28-year-old Samir Akbar of Herndon, VA. Akbar earned All-America honors and set eight school records while at American University. This past May she finished second at the USA 25km Championships in Grand Rapids, Michigan after winning the Army 10-mile in Washington D.C. on April 11th.
Wearing bib #1 in the men’s race will be 2007 Chicago Marathon Champion Patrick Ivuti of Kenya. Ivuti owns a half marathon PR of 59:27 and has run faster than one-hour four times in his career. While Ivuti will be making his debut appearance in Virginia Beach, fellow Kenyan Yusuf Songoka returns for the fourth time in search of his first win after three straight podium finishes in 2005-2007. Songoka arrives with confidence off a win and marathon PR of 2:08:55 earlier this year in Hannover, Germany. The Kenyan men will be challenged by a strong contingent of Japanese runners led by 30k world record holder Takayuki Matsumiya.
“The roster of champions at Virginia Beach rivals any event over the last decade,” said Toni Reavis, race historian, who will be calling the race for FSN with Olympian Todd Williams. “This year VB rookies Dita and Ivuti take on the experienced hands of Olaru and Songoka. Bragging rights and prize purses are waiting to be harvested as the summer season gives way and the fall marathon countdown begins.”
While the U.S. 20k road championship is being contested in New Haven, Connecticut, the U.S. field in Virginia Beach will be led by John Crews, a three-time marathon winner who is attending graduate school in Raleigh, North Carolina. Crews won the North Carolina USATF Half Marathon Championship earlier this year with a PR of 1 hour, 5 minutes and 20 seconds. Local pride rests with Ryan Carroll of Portsmouth, VA, who earned DII All-American Honors on the track at Barton College and East Carolina University.
“We are looking forward to two close and exciting races,” said Matt Turnbull, Elite Athlete Coordinator. “The form and personal records of the leading athletes in both the men’s and women’s field suggest they are all capable of running a quick and competitive contest.”
The Dodge Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon celebrates its tenth anniversary on Labor Day Weekend, Sunday, September 5, 2010 with over 20,000 participants. Festivities begin with a two-day Health & Fitness Expo at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on Friday, Sept. 3 and Saturday, Sept. 4. The Health & Fitness Expo is free and open to the public, and features over 80 exhibitors with the latest in endurance sports gear and nutrition products. Online registration has closed, but there is still an opportunity to register in person at the expo.
For more information on the Dodge Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon, please virgina-beach.competitor.com or call at 800-311-1255.
Dan Cruz, 619-925-7671
dcruz@competitorgroup.com
