Athletes Looking to Earn 2004 Olympic Qualifying Times
October 3, 2003 (Chicago) ---The group of American female athletes who will compete in this year's elite field of The 2003 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon was released today. With Chicago's fast, flat course, many of the women are hoping to use their Chicago Marathon time to qualify for the 2004 Olympic Trials.

The pool includes Jenny Spangler, Colleen De Reuck, Jennifer Tonkin and Kimberly Fitchen-Young, who have competed in the Chicago Marathon in years past. They will be joined by Chicago Marathon newcomers Deeja Youngquist and Rachel Sauder-Kinsman.

"The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon has a long-standing tradition of attracting a competitive group of elite athletes and this year's is no exception," said Carey Pinkowski, executive race director. "The Marathon precedes the upcoming 2004 Olympic Marathon Trials and this factor adds another layer of competition to the race."

Spangler, 40, of Gurnee, began her professional running career when she was a teenager. Spangler set a world age-group record for females 19 years of age and under when she captured first place at 1983's Grandma Marathon with a time of 2:33:51. Spangler followed this success by participating in 1984's U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

It was shortly before the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, though, where Spangler injured her Achilles tendon and was unable to compete in the games, despite her surprise first place finish in the Olympic Marathon Trials. Recurring injuries prevented Spangler from competing in the 2000 Olympics, but she has since recovered and hopes her time in the Chicago Marathon will qualify her for the 2004 Olympic Trials.

"Jenny's ability to rebound so strongly from professional and personal setbacks ? from her recurring injuries to transitioning to a new coach ? prove what a driven athlete she is. She's one to watch on race day," said Pinkowski.

De Reuck, 39, is a three-time Olympian and 1996 Berlin Marathon winner. A native of South Africa, De Reuck became a United States citizen in 2000, shortly after competing in the Olympic Games that year. De Reuck made her first Team USA appearance at the 2002 World Cross Country Championships where she finished third overall. This is De Reuck's third time competing in The LaSalle Bank Marathon; she placed second at the 1998 race and fourth in 1999.

Tonkin, 32, placed 12th at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 2000, a personal record which earned her a spot on the World Championship team. That same year, she placed 10th at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:40:31. In 1999, Tonkin was the USA Marathon Championship runner-up, with a time of 2:38:58, run in the Twin Cities Marathon. The prior year, she finished 6th in the Twin Cities Marathon with a time of 2:41:18.

Fitchen-Young, 35, started running in 1992 as an emotional outlet after the death of her father. Running went from a hobby to a career when in 1995, she joined the Nike Farm Team. Her breakthrough season came in 2000, when she finished 5th at the USATF Cross Country Trials and was 33rd at the World Cross Country Championships, helping Team USA win a bronze medal. At the Olympic Trials in Sacramento, Fitchen-Young finished a disappointing 9th (32:16:95) and was then forced to sit out a month with a severe foot injury after the Trials. In 2001, she rebounded with the second fastest 10,000m time in the United States.

"I'm thrilled that this talented group of women has decided to return to The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon again this year," said Pinkowski. "All four of them will provide meaningful competition to the race and I hope to see some Olympic Marathon Trial times captured, as well."

Alongside the group of returning athletes are two elite women whose Chicago Marathon debut will be made this year. Both runners are 26 years old and are experienced competing in shorter distance competitions; Youngquist and Sauder-Kinsman are up-and-comers in the Marathon distance category.

Youngquist, 26, has had a successful year in 2003, with seven top five rankings. She won the Lake Atwood 10 Mile in 58:31, Litchfield Hills road race in 39:54 and the Trolley Run 4 Mile in 21:20. She placed third at the 3M Half-Marathon in 1:16:53 and the Fifth Third River Bank 25K in 1:30:54. At the U.S. Half-Marathon Championships, she placed fourth and set a personal record in 1:12:51. She also set a personal record at the New Haven 20K U.S. Championships in Connecticut.

Sauder-Kinsman, 26, placed 36th in the 8K race at the World Cross Country Championships in Portugal, helping the U.S. women win a team bronze medal. She had been fourth in the 8K at the USATF Cross Country Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina. Kinsman set her personal bests of 15:49:37 for the 5000m and 33:20:84 in 1999. While at Auburn, she was third in the NCAA 10,000m and won the 5,000m/10,000m double at the Southeastern Conference Championships in 1995 and 1996.

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, October 12 at 8:00 a.m., starting and finishing in Chicago's Grant Park. The Marathon has drawn its registration cap of 40,000 participants. CBS 2 CHICAGO is the official broadcast partner of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and will cover the race live from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. race day.

For more information, check out www.chicagomarathon.com