Elites attending the news conferences Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon news conference Friday, May 23, 1pm Marriott Hotel, 100 Kent Street, Wellington Rm - 3rd floor Men's Marathon • Wesley Korir KEN • Bazu Worku ETH • Yemane Tseguay ETH • Eric Gillis CAN

Women's Marathon • Ehitu Kiros ETH • Agnes Kiprop KEN • Etalemahu Kidane ETH • Rhiannon Johns CAN

Updated: May 15, 2014

2014 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon Bazu Worku Ethiopia 23 years old

Ranked: 3rd PB: 2:05:25 - 2010 Berlin Marathon

Career Highlights:  2009 Paris Half Marathon Champion (1:01:56)  2nd – 2009 Paris Marathon (2:06:15). His debut at the distance.  2nd at the 2010 Ethiopian National 30km Championships.

Interesting Facts:  Ran 2:07:32 at the 2014 Houston Marathon – January 19th  His 2:06:15 in Paris was the fastest ever run by an 18 year old.  Won two marathons in 2013 – Houston Marathon and Grandma’s Marathon (USA).

2014 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon Eric Gillis Canada

34 years old

Ranked: 11th PB: 2:11:28 – Toronto, Canada – 2011.

Career Highlights  Qualified for the 2012 Olympic Marathon at the 2011 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon with 2 seconds to spare.  Last Race: 2014 Toronto Yonge Street 10k Champion (28:32)

Interesting Facts  Graduate of the University of Guelph  Represented Canada at the Chiba Ekiden, a distance running relay style race held annually in Japan.  Ran 1:03:30 – NYC ½ Marathon – March 16th, 2014.

2014 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon Wesley Korir Kenya 31 years old

Ranked: 1st Marathon PB: 2:06:13 – 2012 Chicago Marathon

Career Highlights:  2012 Boston Marathon Champion (2:12:24)  Two-time Los Angeles Marathon Champion 2009/2010  Half Marathon PB of 1:01:19 in New York City

Interesting Facts:  In 2013 Korir became an elected Member of Parliament for the Cherangany District in his native Kenya  Korir appears in a distance running documentary “Transcend” by Michael Del Monte.  Last Race: 1:03:34 – NYC ½ Marathon – March 16th, 2014.

2014 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon Yemane Tsegay Ethiopia 29 years old

Ranked: 2nd PB: 2:04:48 – 2012 Rotterdam Marathon

Career Highlights  Represented Ethiopia twice at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships in the marathon.  His half marathon PB is 1:01:37 – Praha, 2010

Interesting Facts  Four of his five listed personal bests have been run in 2012 all in Rotterdam, Netherlands.  Last Race: 2:06:51 - Milano,Italy - April 6th, 2014.  1:02:29 ½ Marathon - Marugame, Japan – February 2nd, 2014  Tsegay’s 2:04:48 in 2012 is the 17th fastest marathon of all-time.

2014 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon Agnes Kiprop Kenya 34 years old

Ranked: 2nd PB: 2:23:54 - Frankfurt, Germany 2012

Career Highlights  Has achieved nine 1st place medals.  Has won races in Prague, Reims, Turin and Frankfurt.  Winner of the 2009 Kenyan National Cross Country Championships.

Interesting Facts:  Took time off of distance running in 2007 to start a family.  Has a 10km PB of 31:57 – 2012.  Last Race: 2:27:51 – Nagoya, Japan Marathon – March 9th, 2014.

2014 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon Ehitu Kiros Ethiopia 26 years old

Ranked: 1st PB: 2:23:38 - 2013 Dubai Marathon

Career Highlights:  2nd at the 2013 Dubai Marathon  6th at the 2013 Chicago Marathon (2:27:42)  Half marathon PB of 1:09:38 – 2009, Praha

Interesting Facts:  Kiros is one of two women who will compete in the 2014 Scotiabank Marathon with a PB of sub 2:24:00  Improved her marathon time by nearly 14 minutes between 2011 and 2013

2014 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon Etalemahu Kidane Ethiopia 31 years old

Ranked: 3rd PB: 2:25:49 - 2012 Hamburg Marathon

Career Highlights  1st at the Hengshui Marathon in 2012 (2:28:03)  Has finished top three in the marathons of Cologne, Hamburg and Hengshui  1st – 5000m - 2004 African Championships.

Interesting Facts  Won the Belfast International Cross Country Championships three years in a row (2005-2007)  Very fast track speed (15:04 – 5000m) (8:54 – 3000m)  Last Race: 2:31:53 – Mumbai Marathon – January 19th, 2014

2014 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon Rhiannon Johns Canada 23 years old

Ranked: 12th PB: 2:40:24 - Birmingham, USA 2014

Career Highlights:  Broke UAB’s outdoor 1500m record as a junior in 2011 (4:28.59)  Ran 34:14:04 for 10,000m at the 2011 Stanford Invitational.  Half Marathon PB of 1:14:25 – Indianapolis, USA 2013

Interesting Facts:  A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.  Attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).  This will be her first Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon.  Last Race: 1:17:37 – Montreal ½ Marathon – April 27th, 2014.