Usain Bolt and Kenenisa Bekele Join Virtual Run for Haiti

World’s fastest man and distance superstar to participate in the four-mile virtual run through MapMyRun.com

New York, February 19, 2010—Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, and Kenenisa Bekele, one of the most highly decorated long distance runners of all time, have pledged their support for the Run for Haiti 4-mile run/walk to benefit the earthquake victims on Saturday, February 20.
 
Jamaica’s Bolt is the world record-holder at 100 meters and 200 meters, and is a three-time Olympic gold medal champion. Ethiopia’s Bekele is the world record-holder at 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters, and also a three-time Olympic gold medal winner.
 
“I am delighted to take part in the NYRR virtual Run for Haiti and would encourage everyone to sign up and run for this worthy cause,” Bolt said in a statement to race officials.
 
“The Run for Haiti is a great chance for all of us in the sport to come together, regardless of distance specialty, to help in a time of great need,” Bekele said in a statement to race officials. “My heart goes out to Haiti.”
 
Bolt and Bekele join an illustrious line-up of many of the sport’s greatest stars, such as Grete Waitz of Norway, Paula Radcliffe and Mo Farah of Great Britain, Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, Vivian Cheruiyot and Linet Masai of Kenya, and Americans Meb Keflezighi, Kara Goucher, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Shalane Flanagan, who have registered to participate in the four-mile virtual run, held in cooperation with NYRR, through MapMyRun.com.  
 
The Run for Haiti, which will be held in Central Park at 9:00 a.m., is a joint effort of New York Road Runners, the Mayor’s Office of New York City, and NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. More than 9,000 people have registered for the Central Park run and nearly $400,000 is expected to be raised, according to NYRR officials. All entry fees will go directly to New York City’s Haiti Relief Fund, which is administered by the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and directed to the following organizations: the American Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health, and the United Nations World Food Programme.  

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