BENITA WILLIS

AUSTRALIA

BIB NUMBER: 35

BIRTHDATE:  May 6, 1979

PERSONAL BEST: 31:17 (Manchester, 2006)

10-K HIGHLIGHTS:
11Jun11  Bellin Run 10-K  3rd  33:45
12Jun10 NYRR New York Mini 10-K  33:42
04May08  Great Edinburgh Run  1st  32:20
09Sep07  Great Yorkshire Run  1st 32:55
09Jun07  Circle of Friends New York Mini 4th  32:21
31Dec06  San Silvestre Vallecana  2nd  32:08
10Jun06  Circle of Friends New York Mini  4th  32:14
21May06 Great Manchester Run 10-K 4th  31:17
15Apr06  Crescent City Classic 2nd  31:28

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
26Jun 10 Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Half-Marathon  2nd  1:12:50
29Nov09 Great Australian Run 15-K  2nd  51:15
25Oct09  Great South Run 10-Mile  3rd  54:41
11Oct09  Four Miles of Groningen  3rd  20:38
31May08  Freihofer's Run for Women 5-K  1st  15:46
16Sep07  Hyrdro Active Challenge for Women  5-K  2nd  15:28
02Jun07  Freihofer's Run for Women 5-K  1st  15:22
01Apr07  Berlin Half-Marathon  1st  1:08:28
22Oct06  LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon  3rd 2:22:36

CAREER NOTES:
Benita Willis is Australia's greatest ever womens' distance runner. She holds many national records including the half-marathon (1:08:28) and marathon (2:22:36).

Her fastest 10,000 meters, 30:37.68, is also a NR and came at the 2003 IAAF World Championships when she placed 8th. Willis additionally competed in the 2005 and 2007 World Championships plus the 2004 Olympic Games. Her top international honor came when she won the gold medal at the 2004 World Cross Country Championships.

Willis has been training in Boulder, Colorado although an injury to her right foot has compromised her fitness level in 2011.

During the years when she was married she competed as Benita Johnson. She was a star junior hockey player in her native Australia.