Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

MAYOR GIULIANI DRAWS FIRST 10 NAMES
IN 2001 NEW YORK CITY MARATHON LOTTERY

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today joined New York City Marathon Race Director and New York Road Runners Club President and CEO Allan Steinfeld, and Managing Director of Tishman Speyer Properties, Robert J. Speyer, at Rockefeller Center to draw the first 10 names in the annual New York City Marathon Lottery. The 32nd running of the New York City Marathon (NYCM) is scheduled to begin at 10:50 a.m. on Sunday, November 4, 2001.

"Today, the countdown for one of the City's most exciting and most eagerly anticipated sporting events of the year begins," said Mayor Giuliani. "Each Fall tens of thousands of runners from around the City and the nation, and from more than 100 countries, converge here to participate in this world-class race. And though the 26.2-mile course is no walk in the park, the runners are spurred on to achieve great feats of human endurance by the millions of cheering fans who turn out along the route. I want to wish everyone participating in this year's race the very best of luck, and I look forward to yet another thrilling race this coming November."

Mr. Speyer said, "We are delighted to once again be a part of the NYC Marathon Lottery. We cannot think of a better location to select participants of such an extraordinary, international event than right here at Rockefeller Center, an international landmark in its own right in the heart of New York City."

Mr. Steinfeld said, "This year marks the 32nd running of the NYC Marathon and is sure to be a great day for New York. With another strong turnout of applicants from around the world, we are pleased that the New York City Marathon continues to be the premier sporting event, where the world comes to run."

The 10 people whose names were drawn by Mayor Giuliani today are the first of 30,000 individuals who will be selected from a pool of nearly 50,000 applicants to participate in this year's race. The remainder of the NYC Marathon starting field will be randomly chosen by computer and the entire list will be available Thursday, June 28th, at www.nycmarathon.org.

Two new changes to the NYCM were also announced during today's event. The first significant course change in more than 10 years will redirect the race from entering Central Park at 102nd Street and Fifth Avenue to the new entry point of Fifth Avenue and 90th Street. The second change provides for $10,000 in prize money to be awarded to athletes in the Wheelchair Division.

Since its inception on September 13, 1970, more than 530,000 runners have completed the Marathon's 26.2-mile course. Last year's winners were men's champion, Abdelkader El Maluaziz of Morocco, who completed the race in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 9 seconds; and women's champion, Ludmila Petrova of Russia, who crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 45 seconds.

This year is the NYCM's 32nd running and its 26th year of running through the five boroughs. The race will begin in Staten Island at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge; continue through Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx; and finish in Manhattan in Central Park. Additional information on the NYCM can be found on the Internet at www.nyrrc.org or www.nycmarathon.org.