CHICAGO, IL. -- The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon's elite athlete field grew deeper on Tuesday, July 8 with the announcement that two-time London Marathon winner Abdelkhader El Mouaziz (AB-DEL-CATER / EL-MO-ZEEZ) has commited to run the 2003 race. El Mouaziz, returning to Chicago for a second time, hopes to challenge world record-holder Khalid Khannouchi for first place on Oct. 12. El Mouaziz set a personal best in Chicago in 2002 with a time of 2:06:46.

A victory in Chicago would make El Mouaziz, 34, of Morocco one of a select few to have first- place finishes in the top marathons, including Chicago, London, and New York. He is determined to achieve what he calls the "grand slam" of marathoning.

"I'm excited to return to Chicago and my goal is to win the race because this is the only top marathon that I have yet to win," stated Mouaziz. "After winning London twice and New York once, I need to win Chicago in order to complete the grand slam of victories in marathoning. I hope that 2003 will be the year that I can add Chicago to my list of marathon wins."

El Mouaziz is a two-time Olympian from Morocco and one of the most consistent marathon performers over the past seven years. In 2002, he ran his then personal best of 2:06:52 with a fourth place finish in London while staying with Khalid Khannouchi, Paul Tergat and Haile Gebresalassie throughout the race. El Mouaziz won the London Marathon twice (1999, 2001) and also has two second-place finishes in London (1998, 2000).

At the 2002 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, El Mouaziz set a personal record of 2:06:46 for fifth place, the fastest time ever for anyone finishing in that position. In 2000, he won the New York City Marathon after a gutsy surge in the first half of New York's difficult course. He has performed well in international competition as well, finishing sixth at the 2001 World Marathon Championships (2:14:41) and seventh at the 2000 Sydney Olympics Marathon (2:13:49). He is also a three-time winner of the Marrakesh Marathon (1996,1997 and 1999).

"El Mouaziz is determined to perform strong in Chicago this year," stated executive race director Carey Pinkowski. "He is a great addition to our field and with his eye on winning this year; he certainly adds a significant degree of competition to the men's field and to Khannouchi. It will certainly be a competitive race all the way to the finish line."

World record-holder Khannouchi announced that he would run Chicago for a sixth time earlier this year. With Khannouchi, former Olympian Rod DeHaven, who will both compete in the U.S. Olympic trials in February, and El Mouaziz leading the men's field, the LaSalle Bank Chicago will once again have top athletes in the sport competing against each other.

Elite athletes will compete this fall for the highest marathon purse ever, $550,000. The male and female winners each will earn $100,000, the largest first place payout in the sport. The 2003 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon begins Sunday, Oct. 12 at 8 a.m., starting and finishing in Chicago's Grant Park and is expected to draw up to the increased registration cap of 40,000 participants.

For more information, visit www.chicagomarathon.com.