From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Sun Nov 22 2009 - 11:29:27 EST
http://running.competitor.com/2009/11/news/keflezighi-to-ride-in-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade_6930
Keflezighi To Ride In Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade by Sean
McKeon<http://running.competitor.com/author/smckeon/>
- November 20, 2009
The ING New York City Marathon 2009 men’s champion, Meb Keflezighi, the
first American men’s winner of the race since Alberto Salazar in 1982, will
have a special ride in next week’s 83rd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day
Parade in New York.
Keflezighi will ride aboard the Stature of Liberty float alongside Miss
America 2009, Katie Stam. The parade will be broadcast nationally on NBC
from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in each local time zone across the country.
Keflezighi ran a brilliant strategic race in New York, pulling away from
four-time Boston Marathon Champion Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya in the final
two miles to win in a personal-best time of 2:09:15. The win gave Keflezighi
the USA marathon championship and his fourth national title of 2009.
He earned a total prize-money payday of $200,000, including $130,000 for the
overall win, $30,000 for running sub-2:09:30, and an additional $40,000 for
the U.S. title. He also finished atop the USA Running Series rankings for
2009, earning an additional $6,000.
Other celebrities scheduled to appear in the parade are singers Carly Simon
and Gloria Gaynor along with marching bands and the parade’s trademark giant
helium character balloons, which this year include Snoopy and Kermit the
Frog.
Keflezighi’s ride in the parade is just one of many honors he has enjoyed
since breaking the 27-year American men’s drought in the ING New York City
Marathon. He was also a guest on Late Night with David Letterman, reading
the Top 10 list, and was feted by city officials in his hometown of San
Diego.
For more information on Meb Keflezighi and USA Track & Field, visit:
www.usatf.org.
*Source: USATF, News & Notes, Volume 9, Number 57*
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----