Marathon debut for Marie

IRISH Olympian Marie Davenport will run her first marathon next month when she takes on the hallowed 26.2 mile course around New York City.

Race organisers, the New York Road Runners, have called a news conference for this afternoon in Manhattan at which they will officially announce that the 29-year-old Clarewoman will be running the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 7.

Davenport, formerly Marie McMahon, lives in Chester, Connecticut, close to where she trains with her former collegiate coach Ray Treacy at Providence, Rhode Island.

She makes the leap in distance after a fine season on the track where she set a new personal best over 10,000 metres at 31 minutes 28.78 seconds and also reached the Olympic final over the same distance, finishing a creditable 14th in 31:50.49.

Davenport has chosen a tough year in which to debut as the New York organisers have already assembled one of its strongest women’s fields.

Olympic marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor heads Amrican hopes while last year’s New York third place finisher, Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands, returns.

Reigning world cross country champion Benita Johnson of Australia was also announced as an elite runner last week.