Chicago Marathon - Sell, De Reuck lead U.S. athletes

American hopes at Chicago this year rest with Brian Sell (Rochester Hills, Mich.), 28, who was fourth at Boston this year in 2:10:55, and Abdi Abdirahman (Tucson, Ariz.), 29, who has run 2:11:24 and was second at the Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run - Half Marathon in September with a time of 1:01:07.

Edwardo Torres (Boulder, Colo.), 25, who starred locally at Wheeling High, the University of Colorado and on the world cross-country stage, will make his marathon debut. The top American finisher this year at the Falmouth Road Race in Massachusetts, Torres also showed promise with a 1:03:33 in Philadelphia.

On the women's side, masters star and 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials champion De Reuck (Boulder, Colo.), 42, (2:26:35) will be joined by two-time U.S. Olympian Elva Dryer (Gunnison, Colo.), 35, and Sell's Hansons-Brooks teammate Melissa White (Rochester Hills, Mich.), 25. Both will be making their marathon debuts.

U.S. men and women at this year's race will have the added financial incentive of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon's American Development Bonus program and time bonuses for posting 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying times.

The American Development Bonus will offer an $80,000 prize purse to U.S. citizens in The 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon to be split among the first twenty-five (25) U.S. male citizen finishers and first twenty-five (25) U.S. female citizen finishers.

In addition to the $80,000 prize purse, The American Development Bonus offers an additional incentive for U.S. citizens that finish The 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in under the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time.

A time bonus of $2,500 to the athletes who meet the "A" Standard of 2:20:00 for men and 2:39:00 for women, and a time bonus of $1,500 to the athletes who meet the "B" Standard of 2:22:00 for men and 2:47:00 for women. The Time Bonuses are based on gun/clock time finish and are not cumulative.

source USATF