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USA Track & Field
Meb Keflezighi Launches Charitable Foundation
By David Monti
(c) 2010 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.
NEW YORK (21-Apr)--Reigning ING New York City Marathon men's champion Meb Keflezighi of Mammoth Lakes, CA announced here today that he is forming a charitable foundation which will support varied causes in health, fitness and education. Called the MEB Foundation, which the Olympic Marathon silver medalist said stood for "Maintaining Excellent Balance," the announcement was made at the RUN store by Foot Locker just off of Union Square in Manhattan.
Photo at left by www.photorun.net: Meb Keflezighi placed 5th at 2010 Boston Marathon on April 19
"We like to think he began his running career with us," said Foot Locker U.S. CEO and president Dick Johnson who introduced Keflezighi today. Johnson recalled how Keflezighi watched the Foot Locker Championships high school cross country meet in San Diego while playing soccer in 1987; he had no interest in running at the time. But in 1993, he raced those same championships, finishing second to Adam Goucher, the true beginning of Keflezighi's racing career.
"Yes, 20 years ago as Dick mentioned, I was in Morely Field in San Diego playing soccer," said Keflezighi. He continued: "There were runners and, I'm like, why are these people running? That was 1987 when Marc Davis, who happened to go to San Diego High School, won the race. I said, well, these people are crazy. Six years later I was on the starting line."
Keflezighi said the he does not yet have specific projects where the foundation will be making donations. However, he said that his connection to his native Eritrea would be an influence. He also announced that the ING New York City Marathon had granted his foundation 20 charity entry spots in this year's race where he will defend his title on November 7.
"Our goal is to use those spots to fundraise," he said.
One guest was so inspired by Keflezighi, who finished fifth at last Monday's Boston Marathon, that he made a $10,000 pledge on the spot.