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Samuel Wanjiru, Irina Mikitenko Earn 2008-2009 World Marathon Majors Series Titles

From the World Marathon Majors
November 5, 2009
New York, NY

Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya and Irina Mikitenko of Germany are the winners of the 2008-'09 World Marathon Majors series. Both athletes were presented with $500,000 USD for their respective accomplishment at an award ceremony on Monday, November 2 in New York, NY. Samuel Wanjiru collected 90 points over the two-year series, winning the 2008 Beijing Olympics Men's Marathon, as well as at Flora London and Bank of America Chicago Marathons in 2009. He was also runner-up at the 2008 Flora London Marathon. Irina Mikitenko also won three major marathons, and finished second in another during the last two years; she won the 2008 and 2009 Flora London Marathons, was victorious at the 2008 real,-Berlin Marathon, and finished second in the 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon last month. Irina Mikitenko also won the 2007-'08 WMM series women's title.

In the series, the world's top runners score points for winning and top placings at the five events which comprise the World Marathon Majors: Virgin London Marathon, Boston Marathon, real,-Berlin Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and ING New York City Marathon. (In years in which the Olympic Games and IAAF World Championships are contested, those marathons also count in the point totals.)

WMM series points are collected for top five finishes with 25 points for first place, 15 for second, 10 for third, 5 for fourth and 1 for fifth.

Winners of the World Marathon Majors series:

WMM series      Men                                              Women
2006-2007         Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, KEN    Gete Wami, ETH
2007-2008         Martin Lel, KEN                             Irina Mikitenko, GER
2008-2009         Samuel Wanjiru, KEN                    Irina Mikitenko, GER

2008-2009 Men's Final Leader Board
1. Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) 90 pts.
2. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 50 pts.
3. Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (KEN) 41 pts.
4. Abderrahim Goumri (MAR) 40 pts.
5. Tsegaye Kebede (ETH) 35 pts.
5. Jaouad Gharib (MAR) 35 pts.

2008-2009 Women's Final Leader Board
1. Irina Mikitenko (GER) 90 pts.
2. Dire Tune (ETH) 40 pts.
3. Liliya Shobukhova (RUS) 35 pts.
3. Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS) 35 pts.
5. Ludmila Petrova (RUS) 31 pts.
5. Salina Kosgei (KEN) 31 pts.

To view biographies of Wanjiru, Mikitenko and the world's other top marathoners, as well as leader boards for the 2008-2009 series and the 2009-2010 series, which is now halfway to completion, see www.worldmarathonmajors.com

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