NEW YORK, July 15 – Two-time world marathon champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya will defend her New York Half-Marathon crown against former compatriot Lornah Kiplagat on August 16, organizers announced on Tuesday.
Two-time Olympic marathon runner-up Ndereba, one week shy of her 37th birthday, seeks her third title in four tries and a 10,000-dollar top prize after taking the inaugural 2006 edition of the event.
Kiplagat, who is Kneyan-born but naturalised Dutch, is back after a knee injury. The 35-year-old veteran ran the world’s fastest time in the half-marathon, 66 mins 25 secs, in 2007 at Udine, Italy.
Also in the event are 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor, the 36-year-old US marathon record holder who suffered a broken foot in the Beijing Olympic women’s marathon, and Kenyans Jelegat Kigen and Rose Kosgei.
