Kara Goucher after her third place finish in New York; her 2:25:53 was the fastest ever debut by an American (© Getty Images)
Boston, USAFollowing the announcement last month that American Half Marathon record holder Ryan Hall will run the 113th edition of the Boston Marathon on 20 April 2009, Olympian and World Championship 10,000m bronze medallist Kara Goucher has today also signed to run the 2009 race.
Goucher made her marathon debut in New York this autumn, her 2:25:53 third place performance the fastest ever US debut ever. With those credentials, Goucher is poised for a top finish in Boston, where the last American winner was Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach in 1985, and before her Joan Benoit in 1983.
“I could not be more excited to participate in the 2009 Boston Marathon on the John Hancock Elite Team,” said Goucher. “As an American, Boston is an incredible opportunity to run a major marathon. The race has a history like no other and its legacy spans generations. I am so thankful to continue my journey toward my goal of becoming the best runner in the world here in the United States.”
With Boston champion Alberto Salazar as her coach, Goucher is certain to learn how to manage the difficult course, as did Salazar in his famous 1982 course-record duel with Dick Beardsley. “Coach Salazar will guide me to be ready to tackle the course, and the infamous Heartbreak Hill,” added Goucher. “Winning Boston is my next big challenge, and I could not have picked a bigger stage.”
The 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials winner in the 5,000m and runner up in the 10,000m, Goucher went to the Beijing Olympic Games and in one of the hardest doubles on the track, finished ninth in the 5000m and 10th in the 10,000m (30:55.16). At the 2007 World Championships, she won the bronze medal in the 10,000m, becoming the first American to ever medal in that event. On the roads, in her first half marathon, Goucher handed World marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain a rare defeat by winning the 2007 Great North Run in 1:06:57, one of the fastest times in the world.
“Kara Goucher will add a new level of excitement to the 2009 Boston Marathon. Not only is she a dynamic competitor but her coach, Alberto Salazar, knows all about winning in Boston,” said Executive Director Guy Morse, of the Boston Athletic Association. “With Kara joining Ryan Hall on the John Hancock Elite Team, the 113th Boston Marathon will feature not only two of America's finest athletes but two of our sport's top young stars. We look forward to seeing them compete alongside the best marathon runners from around the world."
Brian Carmichael – organisers – for the IAAF
