Courtesy: event press release

The field of elite runners is growing fast for the 32nd annual HP Houston Marathon and the Halliburton International Half Marathon, slated for Jan. 18. The list of world-class athletes includes three female members of the U.S. World Championship Team, 2003 defending champions and record-setting masters' runners.

The latest confirmed athletes for Halliburton International Half Marathon include a strong contingent of American men, led by U.S. half-marathon champion Dan Browne. Brad Hauser, former Stanford and Houston area high school standout, Eddie Hellebuyck, a top U.S. masters' runner, Scott Strand, defending Houston half-marathon champion, and David Morris, former U.S. marathon record holder, all will compete. Other elite athletes joining the field include Teddy Mitchell, David Morris, Mike Franko, Ben Rosario, Carl Rundell, Bob Busquaert and Trent Briney.

Among the women, Sylvia Mosqueda of the U. S. and Russia's Lyubov Denisova, winner of the 2002 Los Angeles Marathon, are two runners who recently have committed. They are expected to challenge Colleen De Reuck and Deeja Youngquist for the overall half-marathon title.

In the 32nd annual HP Houston Marathon, elite males recently added to the field include Australian Kim Gillard, Marek Jaroszewski from Poland and Dzmitry Sivou of Belarus. Top females who have committed to the race include Nicole Stevenson of Canada and Alena Vinitskaya of Belarus.