2013 media guide - LA Marathon

THE COMPETITORS
THE COMPETITORS
Wheelchair Elite Field: Men
KRIGE SCHABORT – DEFENDING CHAMPION
United States
Age: 49 (September 9, 1963)
Residence: Cedartown, GA
Personal Best: 1:23:44, Boston (2012)
2012 ASICS LA Marathon Result: 1 st , 1:39:53
Originally from South Africa, but now with dual citizenship with the U.S.,
Schabort has been one of the world’s top wheelers for almost a decade. He
became a wheelchair competitor in 1989 after losing his legs in a bomb
explosion while serving in the South African military in Angola and moved to
the U.S. with his wife Caron in 1995. He is the three-­‐time defending champion
of the ASICS LA Marathon, a four-­‐time South African Paralympian (1992, 1996,
2000, 2004) and was the silver medalist in the 2000 Paralympic Marathon in
Sydney.
MICHAEL FILTEAU
Canada
Age: 46 (December 30, 1988)
Residence: Saint-­‐Jean-­‐Baptiste, Quebec, Canada
Personal Best: 1:24:49, Padua, Italy (2010)
2012 ASICS LA Marathon Result: 2 nd , 1:44:01
A veteran internationalist for Canada, Filteau finished 16 th in the 2008
Paralympics marathon. He won the 2011 Canadian Wheelchair 10km
Championship as well as the 2007 Ottawa Marathon wheelchair division in
1:38:30. He set his lifetime best of 1:24:49 with his third place finish in the
Padua Marathon in 2010 – a time that shattered his previous best of 1:25:42
set at Padua in 2009. He had a strong 2010 with medals in four races, and
placed in the top 10 at both the Gasparilla Distance Classic (4 th ) and the
Peachtree Road Race (9 th ) in 2011. He finished second in the 2012 edition of
the ASICS LA Marathon with a time of 1:44:01.
AARON GORDIAN
Mexico
Age: 48 (May 4, 1964)
Residence: Mexico City, Mexico
Personal Best: 1:28:07, Los Angeles (2002)
2012 ASICS LA Marathon Result: 3 rd , 1:44:16
A two-­‐time Paralympian and former World Champion, Gordian took home the
gold medal in the Men’s 5,000m at the 2011 Parapan American Games in
Guadalajara, Mexico. He has a history of success at the ASICS LA Marathon as
he placed third in 2012, second in 2011, and won the race in 2009, with several
top four finishes prior to that. He placed fourth in the Beijing Paralympic
Marathon in 2008, finished 12 th in the IPC World Championships marathon in
Christchurch, N.Z. in January 2011, and has also won several medals at other
distances, including a silver medal in the 5,000m at the Athens Paralympics in
2004, two silver medals in the 1,500m and 5,000m distances in the 2007 Pan
American Games in Rio de Janeiro.
SAUL MENDOZA
United States
Age: 45 (June 1, 1967)
Residence: Wimberley, Texas
Personal Best: 1:21:24, Oita, Japan (1999)
Mendoza was struck by polio at just six months old, but nevertheless, he got
involved in numerous sports, including tract at age 15. He is a much-­‐decorated
star of wheelchair competitions, winning six Paralympic medals in six different
games from 1988-­‐2008, including gold medals in the 5,000m race in 1996 and
in the 1,500m race in 2004. He has won upwards of 40 marathons, including
seven ASICS LA Marathons, most recently in 2008. Mendoza works with Eagle
Sportchairs to design products for the disabled community and also partners
with the Wounded Warrior program to coach wounded or injured marines.
MARTIN VELASCO SORIA
Mexico
Age: 43 (January 5, 1970)
Residence: Mexico City, Mexico
Personal Best: 1:35:37, Los Angeles, California (2005)
2012 ASICS LA Marathon Result: 4 th , 1:44:23
Velasco is a winner of three bronze medals at the 2011 Parapan American
Games in the 800m, 1,500m, and 5,000m). He has competed in the ASICS LA
Marathon in the past, notching his best finish, 4 th , in last year’s race to follow
up a fifth place finish in 2008, a sixth place finish in 2007, and a seventh place
finish in the 2005 edition of the race. Velasco has also represented Mexico in
the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, and the 2012 Paralympics in London.
SCOTT PARSON
United States
Age: 53 (May 22, 1959)
Residence: San Jose, California
Personal Best: 1:34:59, Los Angeles, California (2009)
2012 ASICS LA Marathon Result: 5 th , 1:44:53
Parson began competing in wheelchair events after he became a paraplegic as
a result of breaking his back in a freak accident in May of 1991. He completed
his first wheelchair race just nine months after completing his rehab stint, and
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MEDIA GUIDE
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