RUNNING USA – GO! St. Louis Announces Elite Athlete Half Marathon Fields

ST. LOUIS  – GO! St. Louis, a local not-for-profit organization that specializes in providing fitness events and programs for the region on a year-round basis, will once again play host to a field of professional distance runners competing in the GO! St. Louis Half Marathon presented by PNC Bank, set for Sunday, April 6. This year's race features a top prize of $5,000 for both the men's and women's winner.

Last year's runner-up, Jordan Chipangama, headlines the men's field. Chipangama will be looking to finally get a win in St. Louis after finishing second at the 2013 GO! St. Louis Halloween 10K. The top entrant with local ties is former Edwardsville High School star Stephen Pifer, who is coming off a top ten finish at the U.S. 15k Championships in Jacksonville on March 15.

Other contenders include Jacob Chemtai and Julius Koskei from Kenya as well as American Craig Curley, who will be racing in St. Louis as a final tune-up before the Boston Marathon on April 21.

The women's field features one of America's top road racers in Kellyn Johnson. Johnson has run one hour, 12 minutes and 27 seconds for the half-marathon and is one of the most versatile road racers in the U.S., consistently competing in everything from the mile to the half marathon. She recently finished fourth at the USA Cross Country Championships in February.

Johnson will face a solid international field led by Kenya's Sarah Kiptoo who finished third in last year's GO! St. Louis Half Marathon. Kiptoo went on to win the 2013 Grandma's Marathon in a very fast 2 hours, 26 minutes and 31 seconds. Other contenders include Kenyans Hannah Wanjiru and Pasca Cheruiyot.

The entire 2014 elite athlete field includes: Men – Jordan Chipangama, Zambia ,Craig Curley, USA, Jacob Chemtai, Kenya, Matt O'Connor, USA , Julius Koskei, Kenya, Patrick Cheptoek, Kenya, Fredison Costa, Brazil, Dan Kirwa, Kenya and Stephen Pifer, USA. Women – Sarah Kiptoo, Kenya, Kellyn Johnson, USA, Hannah Wanjiru, Kenya, Pasca Cheruiyot, Kenya, Doreen Kitaka, Kenya, Emma Kennan, USA, Danna Herrick, USA, Marion Kandie, Kenya and Connie Teague, USA

For more information on the elite athlete program, visit https://gostlouis.org/events/marathon-family-fitness-weekend/elite-athlete-program/

The GO! St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend – April 5 & 6, 2014, is Missouri's largest fitness event and attracts more than 25,000 participants and 50,000 spectators to St. Louis each spring with a weekend of events for all ages and abilities.  Activities include full and half marathons, marathon relay, 5K run/walk, children's fun runs and a mature mile. The marathon course winds through some of St. Louis' most famous attractions and interesting neighborhoods.

RUNNING USA