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New York, May 31 - Adriana Fernandez of Mexico, the 1999 New York City Marathon champion, and Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, the winner of the 2000 Boston Marathon and runner-up to Fernandez at the NYC Marathon last year, will continue their rivalry in the 29th annual New York Mini Marathon on June 10 in Central Park, it was announced today by race director Allan Steinfeld.

They join marathon world record-holder and NY Mini Marathon defending champion Tegla Loroupe of Kenya, the 1996 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia and 1994 NY Mini Marathon champion Anne Marie Lauck of New Jersey all previously announced, in what is shaping up as one of the most competitive fields in the history of the 10-kilometer (6.1 miles) women's only road race.

Fernandez, 29, won the 1999 New York City Marathon in 2:25:06 for her first major international marathon win, less than seven months after placing second in the London Marathon in 2:24:06 (behind Kenyan Joyce Chepchumba's 2:23:32) to set the current Mexican record. She is a two-time Pan American Games champion at 5,000 meters (1995 and 1999). She placed fourth in the 2000 London Marathon (won by Loroupe in 2:24:33) in 2:25:42.

Ndereba, 27, owns one of the best records in the history of road racing. In her third career marathon this past April, she ended Roba's three-year reign at the Boston Marathon with a 2:26:11 win, 16 seconds ahead of Roba. Last year she finished a strong second to Fernandez at the NYC Marathon with a 2:27:34 time.

The New York Mini Marathon, the original women's-only road race, is a New York Road Runners Club event founded by former NYRRC president Fred Lebow and Kathrine Switzer in 1972. Five-time winner Grete Waitz still owns the event record of 31:00, set 20 years ago. The race begins at 9 a.m. at Columbus Circle and carries prize money of over $30,000 ($8,000 for first place). The race will benefit the New York Road Runners Foundation, whose mission is to expand and enhance the role of running in young people's lives. The Foundation, with Waitz as its Chairperson, has created Running Partners, an after-school running program in New York City for students of ages 10-14. The New York Mini Marathon is open to all women regardless of age or ability.

Special thanks to 
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Coordinator for providing us this press release.
USATF Road Running Information Center
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(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 696-6252
http://www.usaldr.org