Houston Marathon: Two-time winner Bazu Worku leads strong Ethiopian team
The 43rd edition of the Chevron Houston Marathon features stacked fields as Ethiopia‘s defending champion Bazu Worku returns to the IAAF Bronze Label Road Race on January 18.
Two-time Houston Marathon champion Worku, who has a best of 2:05:25, leads the men’s field. Out to challenge him will be 2012 Houston runner-up Debebe Tolossa, while Aaron Braun and Craig Leon are the top US entrants in the field.
In the women’s race, Worku’s compatriot Fatuma Sado leads the way. Sado, a former winner in Xiamen and Beijing, set her personal best of 2:25:39 in 2012 when she won the LA Marathon.
Biruktait Degefa will look to improve upon her personal best of 2:26:22 that she set in Houston last year when she finished fourth.
The top US woman in the field is Serena Burla who returns to Houston after winning the 2014 USA Half Marathon Championships. Kellyn Johnson will make her marathon debut after setting a personal best of 1:11:50 in winning the St Louis Half Marathon.
“Our professional fields for the marathon are well-stocked with runners who have had promising debuts and other quality results, and we think they’re ready to step up and deliver some really stellar performances on our stage,” said race director Brant Kotch.
On the same weekend, Houston will host the US Half Marathon Championships. The top entrants include 2004 Olympic silver medallist Meb Keflezighi, Janet Bawcom, Josphat Boit and Annie Bersagel.
Organisers for the IAAF
Elite field
Men
Bazu Worku (ETH)
Debebe Tolossa (ETH)
Silah Limo (KEN)
Gadisa Shumie (ETH)
Dominic Ondoro (KEN)
Erick Mose (KEN)
Birhanu Degefa (ETH)
Lema Tola (ETH)
Craig Leon (USA)
Aaron Braun (USA)
Ahmed Osman (USA)
Jesse Davis (USA)
Jonathan Mott (USA)
Simon Stuetzel (GER)
Javier Ceja (USA)
Michael Wardian (USA)
Bennett Grimes (USA)
Tony Migliozzi (USA)
Women
Fatuma Sado (ETH)
Biruktait Degefa (ETH)
Guteni Imana (ETH)
Yebrgual Arage (ETH)
Sechale Dalasa (ETH)
Misiker Demissie (ETH)
Serena Burla (USA)
Kellyn Taylor (USA)
Goitetom Haftu (ETH)
Lindsay Flanagan (USA)
Jin Lingling (CHN)
Nicole Camp (USA)
Danielle Miller (USA)
Meghan Roth (USA)
Catherine Watkins (CAN)
Source: IAAF.org