John Hancock has updated its Field List for the John Hancock Elite Athlete Team. Additions to the elite field include Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene, Lelisa Desisa Benti, and Laban Korir.
- Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene set a course record in Paris last year before finishing runner-up in Berlin in a personal best 2:21:19. This past January, she won the Dubai Marathon and has finished on the podium in ten career marathons.
- Lelisa Desisa Benti made his marathon debut in Dubai this year and won the race in 2:04:45. A young talent, Benti won the 10,000m at the African Junior Athletics Championships in 2009 and won the gold medal in the half marathon at the All-Africa Games in 2011.
- Laban Korir was runner-up in Amsterdam in 2011, finishing in 2:06:05. He ran the Boston Marathon last year and placed sixth.
Cancellations in the women’s field include Asefelech Mergia Medessa and Karolina Jarzynska due to lack of fitness.
Cancellations in the men’s field include Moses Mosop, Ryan Hall, Shami Dawit, Eric Gillis and Lucas Rotich due to injury. Mosop sustained a calf injury that has prevented necessary speed-work preparation. Hall missed crucial training due to a quadriceps strain.
Men
| Personal Best Time | Country | |
|---|---|---|
| Lelisa Desisa Benti | 2:04:45 (Dubai, 2013) | Ethiopia |
| Gebregziabher Gebremariam | 2:04:53 (Boston, 2011) | Ethiopia |
| Markos Geneti | 2:04:54 (Dubai, 2012) | Ethiopia |
| Levy Matebo | 2:05:16 (Frankfurt, 2011) | Kenya |
| Dickson Chumba | 2:05:46 (Eindhoven, 2012) CR | Kenya |
| Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot | 2:05:52 (Boston, 2010) | Kenya |
| Laban Korir | 2:06:05 (Amsterdam, 2011) | Kenya |
| Wesley Korir | 2:06:13 (Chicago, 2012) | Kenya |
| Raji Assefa | 2:06:24 (Paris, 2012) | Ethiopia |
| Abdihakem ‘Abdi’ Abdirahman | 2:08:56 (Chicago, 2006) | USA |
| Mebrahtom ‘Meb’ Keflezighi | 2:09:08 (Houston, 2012) | USA |
| Jeffrey Hunt | 2:11:00 (Beppu, 2010) | Australia |
| Jason Hartmann | 2:11:06 (Chicago, 2010) | USA |
| Fernando Cabada | 2:11:53 (Houston, 2012) | USA |
| Guor Maker (formerly Marial) | 2:12:55 (San Diego, 2012) NR | USA/South Sudan |
| Robin Watson | 2:13:37 (Rotterdam, 2012) | Canada |
| Micah Kogo | Debut | Kenya |
Women
| Personal Best Time | Country | |
|---|---|---|
| Meseret Hailu Debele | 2:21:09 (Amsterdam, 2012) CR | Ethiopia |
| Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene | 2:21:19 (Berlin, 2012) | Ethiopia |
| Mamitu Daska | 2:21:59 (Frankfurt, 2011) | Ethiopia |
| Rita Jeptoo | 2:22:04 (Chicago, 2012) | Kenya |
| Sharon Cherop | 2:22:39 (Dubai, 2012) | Kenya |
| Madai Pérez | 2:22:59 (Chicago, 2006) NR | Mexico |
| Alemitu Abera Begna | 2:23:14 (Houston, 2012) CR | Ethiopia |
| Tetiana Gamera-Shmyrko | 2:23:58 (Osaka, 2013) | Ukraine |
| Kara Goucher | 2:24:52 (Boston, 2011) | USA |
| Shalane Flanagan | 2:25:38 (OT Houston, 2012) CR | USA |
| Ana Dulce Félix | 2:25:40 (NYC, 2011) | Portugal |
| Yolanda Caballero | 2:26:17 (Boston, 2011) | Colombia |
| Sabrina Mockenhaupt | 2:26:21 (Berlin, 2010) | Germany |
| Diana Chepkemoi Sigei | 2:26:53 (Dubai, 2011) | Kenya |
| Serena Burla | 2:28:27 (Seoul, 2012) | USA |
| Stephanie Rothstein-Bruce | 2:29:35 (Houston, 2011) | USA |
| René Kalmer | 2:29:50 (Yokohama, 2011) | RSA |
| Diane Nukuri-Johnson | 2:30:13 (London, 2012) NR | Burundi |
| Alissa McKaig | 2:31:56 (Houston, 2012) | USA |
NR=National Record CR=Course Record
About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial
John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife Financial, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$532 billion (US$535 billion) as at December 31, 2012. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.
The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com