For 28-year-old Hallissey, the NYC Half will be part of her preparation for next month's Virgin London Marathon, where she will attempt to convince the UK selectors that she should be the third and final marathon choice for London 2012 alongside the already confirmed Paula Radcliffe, the world record holder, and Mara Yamauchi, who was second in the 2009 London Marathon.

Pavey, who finished ninth in the ING New York City Marathon last November in what was only her second race at the distance, having secured the qualifying time in the London marathon six months earlier, is in pole position for the third Olympic spot, and has not committed to running in London again on April 22.

Pavey's best time of 2 hours 28min 24sec, set in London, is only three seconds faster than that of Hallissey, sixth in last year's Bank of America Chicago Marathon, who is one of 10 elite British women entered to run on the streets of the capital in April.

But Pavey's time of 2:28:42 on the hilly New York course would convert to a London time of approximately three minutes faster.

Defending NYC Half champion Caroline Rotich of Kenya and ING New York City Marathon 2011 winner Ethiopian Firehiwot Dado (pictured below left with second place Buzunesh Debaalso, also of Ethiopia) will headline a global group of contenders for the NYC Half.

Joining them on the starting line for this renowned race through Manhattan will be two-time ING New York City Marathon champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil and New Zealand Olympian Kim Smith, whose half-marathon time of 1:07:11 is the fastest ever run in the United States by a woman.

After winning the NYC Half in 2011 with a course-record time of 1:08:51, Rotich, 27, will be on familiar ground.

She also finished eighth in the ING New York City Marathon 2010 and also ran 2:24:26 – a personal best by five minutes – to take fourth place at the 2011 Boston Marathon.


Rotich will face fierce competition from the 28-year-old Dado, who finished in a personal best time of 2:23:15 in her New York City debut.

Dado is also a three-time winner of the Rome City Marathon.

New York Road Runners' (NYRR) flagship half-marathon, in its seventh running, will feature a race record field of 15,000 runners and a new course.

Also new this year, is the arrangement whereby WABC-TV will be airing the NYC Half live, beginning at 7am, as part of NYRR's recently announced comprehensive television agreement with ESPN/WABC-TV.

At 7-9am EDT on Sunday, March 18 viewers can log on to tv.nyrr.org to watch the race coverage.

The NYC Half will again offer a prize purse of $100,000 (£63,000/€76,000), the largest Half Marathon purse in the United States. 

The men's and women's champions will each earn $20,000 (£13,000/€15,000).

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