Istanbul, Turkey - The 28th edition of the Istanbul Eurasia Marathon is to take place on 5 November 2006, with an expected 1500 participants in the marathon and 2500 in a 15km race, and a large Fun Run, drawn from 54 countries all over the world.

This unique marathon which connects two continents - Europe and Asia - is the oldest marathon in Turkey, and starts on the Asian side of Istanbul, and crosses both the Bosporus and Golden Horn Bridges in its progress.

The elite field of 104 runners will compete for $572,000 prize purse in the marathon and 15km race. Defending champions Kenyan Joseph Mbithi (PB 2:15:13) and Russian Madina Biktragirova, 2005 course record holder (2:34:25), are back this year.

MEN

Will the course record 2:13:37 set by the Ethiopian Taye Moges in 1997 remain unbroken?

Mbithi has already run two marathons this year coming 12th in Mumbai, India in January (2:18:15), and then winning in Edinburgh, Scotland in June with his season’s quickest (2:15:46).

Among the 30-year-old Kenyan’s opponents are Moroccan Abderrahime Bouramdane who ran a 2:10:14 personal best in Toronto at the end of September, the Kenyans Luke Metto (PB 2:10:57) and John Maluni (PB 2:13:17), Ethiopian Turbe Bedaso (PB 2:10:34), and Russian Sergey Lukin (PB 2:10:57).

WOMEN

Biktagirova (PB 2:24:46), the 1998 European Championship silver medallist, who was eighth at this year’s Boston Marathon in 2:30:06, will face the Russian Natalya Volgina, who came second in the Paris International Marathon this April in 2:27:32.

Also challenging for honours will be Romania’s Mihaela Botezan (PB 2:25:32) and Alina Gherasim (PB 2:28:17) - the 2005 Monaco Marathon winner - who ran 2:29:30 for fourth place in Nagoya this year, Poland’s Malgorzata Sobanska, the 1995 London Marathon winner, who has a PB of 2:26:08 (2001), Kenyans Dina Chepchumba and Hillary Koech Kipkering, and Russia’s Liliya Yadzhak, the winner of the 2006 Zelengrad Half Marathon (1:14:10).

European Police Championships

Istanbul Eurasia Marathon also hosts the European Police Marathon Championships this year, with 200 runners expected from 30 countries to compete in individual and team divisions for the prizes ranging from $2000 to $500.

Szabo - guest appearance

Guest of honour Istanbul Eurasia Marathon will be Romanian middle distance legend Gabriela Szabo, the multiple World and Olympic and record breaker, who will present the prizes to the marathon winners.

Sergey Porada and Yelena Kurdyumova for the IAAF