Officials are planning “Sneak PreviewâÂVbCrLf event featuring Olympians and
project record-breaking number of registrants for the race.
Woonsocket, R.I. (September 17, 2008) – The 2008 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K announced today that eight Olympians – including 2008 bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan and 1984 gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson — have confirmed their participation in Sunday’s race. They also announced that the five USA Olympians who have committed to running in the race will be available for a “sneak previewâÂVbCrLf event at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Waterplace Park in Providence, and that a record number of runners – over 7,600 – have registered for the various races of the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K.
“This is a banner year for the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K,âÂVbCrLf said Eileen Howard Dunn, CVS Caremark senior vice president of corporate communications and community relations. “To have eight Olympians running in the race is unprecedented and to have a record number of entrants is a testament to the appeal of it as both a competitive and fun event for individuals and families.âÂVbCrLf
The Olympians slated to run in the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K include:
Joan Benoit Samuelson
USA Olympian. Gold Medalist in 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Marathon.
While a senior at Bowdoin College in Maine, Benoit Samuelson entered the 1979 Boston Marathon as a virtual unknown and wound up setting an American women’s record. She won the Boston Marathon for a second time in 1983 despite having undergone surgery in both Achilles tendons in 1981. Then, she won the Olympic trials in 1984 just 17 days after knee surgery. Benoit Samuelson will forever be remembered for her dominating performance in the inaugural Olympic women’s marathon in1984 when she beat a field that included other marathon legends such as Grete Waitz, Rosa Mota, Ingrid Kristiansen and Lisa Martin. She is also known for her running achievements in the 1980s when she held the U.S. record for the second fastest time ever by a woman.
Shalane Flanagan
USA Olympian. Bronze Medalist in 2008 Beijing Olympics, 10,000 Meters.
Fresh off her win of a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics for her time in the 10,000m event, Flanagan returns to Providence for the 2008 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K to defend the national championship she won at last year’s Downtown 5K. A top member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team and American record holder of the 3K, 5K and 10K, Flanagan grew up in Marblehead, Mass. and currently resides in North Carolina.
Anthony Famiglietti
USA Olympian. 2008 Beijing Olympics, Steeplechase.
A 3-time U.S. Champs runner-up, Famiglietti won his first national 3,000m steeplechase title since 2002 at the 2008 Olympic Trials and placed 13th at the Olympic Games. He is a 2003 Pan Am bronze medalist and a 2001 World University Games gold medalist. A favorite among high school runners, Famiglietti cut his hair into a Mohawk while in Beijing and purchased a bicycle to travel around the city – giving it to children before heading for home. A resident of New York City, he is also an artist with an interest in abstract impressionism.
Matt Tegenkamp
USA Olympian. 2008 Beijing Olympics, 5,000 Meters.
Tegenkamp placed second in the 5,000m event at the 2008 Olympic trials and went on to compete in the Beijing Olympics. He is the American 2-mile record holder and 2-time USA Indoor 3,000m champ (’07, ’08). In 2007, Tegenkamp’s fourth-place 5,000m finish at the World Outdoor Championships propelled him to a year-end world ranking (#10) by Track & Field News for the first time in his career. He resides in Madison, Wisconsin.
Dan Browne
USA Olympian. 2004 Athens Olympics, 10,000 Meters and Marathon.
Browne placed 3rd in both the marathon and 10,000m events at the 2004 Olympic trials, and continued on to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens where he placed 12th in the 10,000m event and competed in the marathon. He is the 2005 USA Half-Marathon champion and the 2002 USA Marathon champion. Browne resides in Beaverton, Ore.
Marie Davenport
Irish Olympian. 2004 Athens Olympics, 10,000 Meters.
In 2006, Davenport was ranked 6th in Europe in the 5000 meters. In 2004, she finished 14th in the 10,000 meters at the Athens Olympics. That same year, she won the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K — then called the CVS/pharmacy Downtown 5K. Davenport showed her promise at longer distances when she won the 2003 Boston Athletic Association Half-Marathon. She was an NCAA champion at 5000 meters and a 10-time All-American while at Providence College. Davenport is a resident of Chester, Conn.
Michal Bartoszak
Polish Olympian. 2004 Athens Olympics, Marathon.
Bartoszak ran the marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympics, placing 37th out of 101. He placed 6th in the 3000m steeplechase event at the 1997 IAAF World Championships in Athletics and 5th at the 1995 IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
Jane Gakunyi
Kenyan Olympian. 2004 Athens Olympics, 5,000 Meters.
Gakunyi ran the 5,000m event at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She also placed 9th in the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Paris in 2003.
Details about the “Sneak PreviewâÂVbCrLf event featuring the participating USA Olympians are as follows:
What: The five USA Olympians running in the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K will be on hand to talk about their experiences, answer questions from running enthusiasts and up-and-coming runners, sign autographs and take pictures. Those present will include: Shalane Flanagan, the Beijing 10K bronze medalist and the American record holder of the 3K, 5K and 10K.; Anthony Famiglietti, winner of the USA Olympic trials and finalist at the Beijing Olympics; Dan Browne, Olympian and returning champion from last year’s Downtown 5K; and Matt Tegenkamp, American Record holder for two miles and finalist at the Beijing Olympic Games.
When: Saturday, September 20, 4 p.m.
Where: Waterplace Park, Providence
A breakdown of the record number of runners who have registered for the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K is as follows:
1,661 children have registered for the Youth Races that begin at 8 a.m. and run through 10:30 a.m., with distances ranging from 50 meters to 1,500 meters. This figure includes the 53 youth registered for the “All Kids CanâÂVbCrLf Inspirational race for kids with varying disabilities.
4,273 have registered for the 5K race that begins at 11:15 a.m. and will include Olympians and other elite runners, as well as amateur runners competing as individuals or on college, corporate, police, firefighter and health club teams.
1,683 have registered for the 3K Inspirational race that starts at 12:15 p.m. and will include high school teams. Schools with 25 or more registered runners will be entered into random drawings to win a $500 grant for their school’s physical education program.
The total number of runners registered, as of today, for the 2008 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K is 7,617, compared to last year’s figure of 6,994. According to Charlie Breagy, race director for the Downtown 5K, this figure typically increases by 1,000 to 1,200 during the race weekend.
“We project a record-breaking year of more than 8,300 runners in all participating in the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K races,âÂVbCrLf said Breagy. “We attribute this increase to the greater participation of entire families from children to grandparents, more corporations making this a company day out, and school coaches believing that the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K offers a great experience for youth.âÂVbCrLf
For the second consecutive year, race headquarters will be at the Renaissance Providence Hotel, located at 5 Avenue of the Arts next to the Rhode Island State House and the Providence Place Mall. Late registration and race packet pickup will be handled there on Saturday, September 20, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Sunday (race day), September 21, 7:15 – 10:45 a.m. All race participants will receive a gift bag. The CVS Caremark Downtown 5K will start and finish on Francis Street in front of the Rhode Island State House in downtown Providence.
For more information about the 2008 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K, go to www.cvsdowntown5k.com or call the race hot line at 401-751-7287.
About the Downtown 5K
The Downtown 5K is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that promotes health and fitness through road racing. Proceeds from the annual race event are donated to local youth charities in Rhode Island and Southern New England.
About CVS Caremark
CVS Caremark is the largest provider of prescriptions in the nation. The Company fills or manages more than 1 billion prescriptions annually. Through its unmatched breadth of service offerings, CVS Caremark is transforming the delivery of healthcare services in the U.S. The Company is uniquely positioned to effectively manage costs and improve healthcare outcomes through its more than 6,300 CVS/pharmacy stores; its Caremark Pharmacy Services division (pharmacy benefit management, mail order and specialty pharmacy); its retail-based health clinic subsidiary, MinuteClinic; and its online pharmacy, CVS.com. General information about CVS Caremark is available through the Investor Relations section of the Company’s Web site, at cvscaremark.com/investors, as well as through the press room section of the Company’s Web site, at cvscaremark.com/newsroom.