Benita Johnson leads Haley McGregor in the women's 10000m final (© Getty Images)
Fresh from a convincing 1:07:55 victory at the Great North Run Half marathon Great North Run in England on Sunday (26 Sep), Benita Johnson of Australia has announced that she will make her marathon debut at the ING New York City Marathon 2004. The race will be held on Sunday, 7 November.
Johnson, 25, the reigning World Cross Country long course champion the Australian record-holder for 5000 and 10,000 metres, and a 2004 10,000m Olympian, will also be joined by fellow Australians Kerryn McCann, Andrew Letherby, and Haley McGregor (pacemaker).
A marathon veteran, McCann, 37, comes to the ING New York City Marathon this year for her third time; she finished sixth in 2002 and eighth in 2000. Most recently McCann represented Australia in the 2004 Athens Olympic Marathon, where she finished 31st in 2:41:41.
Letherby, 31, who is making his New York debut, has a personal best of 2:12:45 for the distance, and placed eighth at the 2004 BAA Boston Marathon.
McGregor is making her marathon debut after finishing 25th (33:35.27) in the Athens Olympic 10,000 metres.
