More World Class Runners Commit To Manchester Road Race
MANCHESTER, CT — One of the world’s fastest indoor milers and a teen steeplechase star are the latest athletes to enter what is shaping up to be a talent-laden elite field at the 82nd Manchester Road Race.
Race officials announced this week that Edward Cheserek, a former All-American at the University of Oregon, and Celliphine Chespol of Kenya will compete in Manchester here on Thanksgiving Day. It will be the first Manchester appearance for both Cheserek and Chespol, who each recently became professional runners.
Cheserek won 17 individual NCAA titles when he competed for Oregon. Earlier this year, he ran a 3:49.44 indoor mile, which is the second fastest time ever recorded for the event.
Chespol, 19, is the World Junior Champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. She has run the race in 8:58.78, which is the third fastest time in the world by a woman.
Amy Hastings Cragg, who is rated as one of the United States’ foremost marathon and 10,000-meter competitors, has also entered the road race. Cragg won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 2017 World Championships and has won national titles in the 10-kilometer and 15-kilometer road events. A seven-time All-American at Arizona State University, Cragg has run the marathon in 2:21:42 and the 10,000 meters in 31:10.69.
Leonard Korir, the runner-up at the 2016 MRR (21:31), will take another crack at the 4.748-mile Manchester loop course next week. Korir was an All-American runner at Iona and now competes for the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program.
Race officials previously announced that defending champion Paul Chelimo and 2005 winner Nick Willis will be running on Thanksgiving Day. Chelimo and Willis are both Olympic silver medalists.
In the women’s division, 2017 MRR champion Buze Diriba and Emily Sisson, who won the 2016 road race, are also entered. Diriba set the course record of 23:57 last year when she edged Molly Huddle at the finish line.
The 82nd Manchester Road Race will take place on Thanksgiving Day at 10 a.m. The race starts and finishes on Main Street in Manchester, in front of St. James Church.
On-line entry applications and more information about the event are available at www.manchesterroadrace.com.
Photo Credit: Tim Jensen
