New York, USA - Past winners Meb Keflezighi, Gebre Gebremariam, and Edna Kiplagat will return to add to their laurels at the 2011 ING New York City Marathon on 6 November.
 
In 2009, Keflezighi became the first American to win this IAAF Gold Label Road Race since Alberto Salazar in 1982. Gebremariam of Ethiopia and Kiplagat of Kenya will start as the reigning champions.

Keflezighi, 35, of Mammoth Lakes, CA, is a New York favorite who will be running the race for the seventh time and has showed remarkable consistency, with five top-10 finishes including his historic triumph in 2009 and last year’s sixth-place finish as the top American. He’ll get extra attention this year, as he’s looking to run both New York and the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials race in Houston in January 2012. 
 
“Marathons are always challenging, but I’m challenging myself further with my goal to run both the ING New York City Marathon 2011 and the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials,” said Keflezighi. “This timing and challenge is very similar to 2004, when I won the silver medal at the Olympic Games and was the runner-up in the ING New York City Marathon 70 days later. This experience gives me, Coach Bob Larsen, and the rest of my team the confidence to pursue the goal of winning the ING New York City Marathon again, and making a third U.S. Olympic team.”
 
Keflezighi will match up against the defending champion, Gebremariam, 26, of Ethiopia. Since winning the ING New York City Marathon in 2:08:14, Gebremariam has finished second at the NYC Half in March in a time of 1:00:25 and third at the Boston Marathon last week in a time of 2:04:53.
 
Kiplagat, 31, of Kenya, continued her success after her victory, taking second place at the NYC Half in March in a time of 1:09:00. She finished third at the Virgin London Marathon last week, running 2:20:46.
 
Also announced was American Jen Rhines, 36, who is coming off a five-year Marathon hiatus after finishing fourth in the Rome Marathon in March 2006. She competed in the 2004 Olympic Marathon, but has recently focused on shorter distances, including the 5000 meters, which she ran in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Rhines has already won two national championships this year, claiming the half-marathon crown in January and the 15K title last month.

Organisers for the IAAF