Tag Archive for: Natasha Van Der Merwe

Austin Marathon Announces Fourth Round of Elite Runners

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Fourth round of elite runners will compete during race weekend for a prize purse that totals $26,000

High Five Events is excited to announce the fourth round of accepted athletes for the 2019 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour®. Returning for its third year in a row, this opportunity creates a competitive field of elite male and female runners while discovering emerging talent, pushing the entire talent pool to reach Olympic standards. FloTrack’s live coverage highlights the competition amongst the elites, following male and female marathoners and half marathoners.

“I’m excited to return to Austin and compete for the win,” said Joey Whelan, whose 2018 Austin Marathon victory launched an extremely successful running year, including qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. “This is the best time of year to train for a marathon in Texas. I’m looking forward to putting in the hard long runs and testing myself against the 2019 elite field.”

The fourth round of 2019 marathoners include:

  • Joey Whelan – male Elite Athlete Program (7th place 2018 Grandma’s Marathon – 2:16:28)
  • Nick Edinger – male Elite Athlete Program (8th place 2018 Pittsburgh Marathon – 2:18:32)
  • Patrick Geoghegan – male Elite Athlete Program (1:06:04 at 2018 Monumental Half Marathon)
  • Blair Teal – male Elite Athlete Program (2018 Outer Banks Marathon champion – 2:22:30)
  • Hyvon Ngetich – female Elite Field (3rd place 2015 Austin Marathon – 3:04:02)

The fourth round of 2019 half marathoners include:

  • Guor Maker – male Elite Athlete Program (2016 Olympics [South Sudan] – 2:22:45)
  • Andrew Leahey – male Elite Field (3rd place 2018 Oklahoma City Half Marathon – 1:13:46)
  • Natasha van der Merwe – female Elite Field (2017 Decker Challenge female champ – 1:26:27)
  • JR Creekmore – male Elite Field (2018 Jonas Cattell Memorial 10 mile champ – 53:42, half marathon debut)
  • Ericka Mason – female Elite Field (3rd place 2018 Cowtown Half Marathon – 1:23:40)
  • Todd Mickey – male Elite Field (2x individual All-Big 12 [indoor mile and 1000m], half marathon debut)
  • Ann Lokiles – female Elite Field (2x Ohio Valley XC Champion (2015 – 2016), half marathon debut)

The prize purse breakdown follows: $15,000 for the marathon, $5,000 for the half marathon, and $6,000 for the Manzano Mile presented by Dole. Runners not accepted into the Elite Athlete Program are still invited to run in the Elite Field.  Read about the first, second, and third round of accepted elite runners. The fifth round of athletes will be announced soon. Applications are still being accepted and elite marathoners can apply on the Austin Marathon’s website. Athletes that meet the program’s standards and are accepted will be given one comp entry to the 2019 Austin Marathon or half marathon, reimbursement eligibility, and standards bonuses.

Austin Marathon Announces Sixth Round of Accepted Elite Runners

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High Five Events introduces the sixth round of accepted athletes for the 2018 Austin Marathon®. Runners who do not qualify for the Elite Athlete Program are still invited to run in the Elite Field. The Elite Athlete Program’s focus is to provide a clean and competitive environment, discover emerging talent, and help the existing talent pool reach Olympic standards. The Program’s Year Two prize purse totals $20,000, with $15,000 for the marathon and $5,000 for the half marathon.

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Zachary Ornelas at 2017 Boston Marathon (2:24:40).

The sixth round of 2018 marathoners include:

  • Bryan Morseman – Elite Athlete Program (2nd place at 2017 Run for the Red Marathon – 2:22:08)
  • Girma Segni – Elite Athlete Program (ran 2:23:51 at 2017 New York City Marathon)
  • Wendes Gray – Elite Field (ran 1:31:47 at 2016 Holiday Half Marathon)
  • Alex Kramer – Elite Field (ran 1:13:48 at 2017 Cambridge Half Marathon)
  • Mitchell Germann – Elite Field (2nd place at 2017 Decker Challenge – 1:17:10)
  • Zachary Ornelas – Elite Field (ran 2:24:40 at 2017 Boston Marathon)

The sixth round of 2018 half marathoners include:

  • Luke Humphrey – Elite Athlete Program (2008, 2012, 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Sabrina Lopez – Elite Athlete Program (ran 2:41:16 at 2017 California International Marathon)
  • Samantha Roecker – Elite Athlete Program (2nd place female at 2017 Hartford Marathon – 2:38:14)
  • Nicole Aish –  – Elite Field (2nd place at 2017 Virginia Beach Half Marathon – 1:19:46)
  • Crystal Kent – Elite Field (3rd place at 2017 San Antonio Marathon – 3:15:30)
  • Anthony Holshouser – Elite Field (2nd place at 2017 Route 66 Half Marathon – 1:14:11)
  • Kaitlyn Johnson – Elite Field (ran 1:20:10 at 2017 3M Half Marathon)
  • Natasha Van der Merwe – Elite Field (2017 Decker Challenge female Champion – 1:26:27)
  • Brittni Hutton – Elite Field (ran 35:20 at 2017 Portland Track Festival 10K)
  • Hernan Rozemberg – Elite Field (ran 1:16:09 at 2017 3M Half Marathon)
  • Braden Perry – Elite Field (ran collegiately at Weber State University)

“I am excited to return to Austin for the Austin Half Marathon,” said Humphrey, who has been a member of the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project since 2004. “I am using the Austin Half Marathon to test my fitness after coming back from a fall marathon. This is the perfect race for me to compete and challenge in the lead group!”

Read about the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth rounds of accepted elite runners. Including today, the marathon has accepted a total of 15 runners into the Elite Athlete Program and 23 others have been invited to participate in the Elite Field. The half marathon has accepted 16 runners into the Elite Athlete Program and 25 others have been invited to participate in the Elite Field. Applications are still being accepted and elite runners can apply on the Austin Marathon’s website. Athletes that meet the program’s standards and are accepted will be given one comp entry to the 2018 Austin Marathon or half marathon, reimbursement eligibility, and standards bonuses.