MAYOR GIULIANI DRAWS FIRST 10 NAMES IN 1997 NEW YORK CITY MARATHON LOTTERY
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today joined Road Runners Club President and New York City Marathon Director Allan Steinfeld on the steps of City Hall to draw the first 10 names in the annual Marathon lottery. The 28th running of the New York City Marathon (NYCM) is scheduled for Sunday, November 2, 1997.
"Today we begin the countdown for one of the City's most exciting and most anticipated sporting events," Mayor Giuliani said. "When Fred Lebow and the New York Road Runners Club first sponsored the New York City Marathon in 1970, it consisted of four loops around Central Park. At that point there were only 127 runners. Today, over 60,000 people world-wide want to participate in the Marathon."
"The vision and dedication of Fred Lebow helped develop the Marathon into one of our City's most enduring traditions," the Mayor continued. "Over two million New Yorkers are expected to turn out and cheer our runners on in November, making this the world's largest spectator event. The New York City Marathon is a testament to the true spirit of this City. Fred Lebow called this event 'a day of urban magic.' In his spirit, we are here today to begin the festivities."
The 10 names drawn by the Mayor today are the first of 3000 that will be selected from a pool of 13,000 applicants. Each year more than 60,000 runners seek entry into the NYCM, but only 29,000 are accepted. 16,000 runners are accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis and 10,000 spaces are reserved for international runners; the 3000 remaining positions are selected by lottery.
Since its first run on September 13, 1970, 451,607 runners have participated in the NYCM. Last year's winners were men's champion Giacomo Leone of Italy, who ran the 26-mile course in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 54 seconds, and women's champion Anuta Catuna of Romania, who finished in 2 hours, 28 minutes and 18 seconds.
"This year, the New York City Marathon will be a perfect warm-up event for another New York City race -- the Mayoral election, which takes place two days later on November 4th," Mr. Steinfeld said. "We're hoping for a record spectator turnout, no registration necessary to watch."
This year is the NYCM's 28th running and its 21st anniversary through the five boroughs. The race will begin in Staten Island at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, continue through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx and finish in Central Park.
The Marathon is sponsored annually by the Road Runners Club. This year, the official car is the KIA. One will be awarded to the first place men and women finishers.
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